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People aren’t always as one-dimensional as they’re portrayed

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* March 27th New York Times article on Chicago’s mayoral race quoting Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara on candidate Brandon Johnson…

“If this guy gets in we’re going to see an exodus like we’ve never seen before,” he said, predicting “blood in the streets.”

* From Arne Duncan’s March 24 Tribune op-ed endorsing Paul Vallas for mayor…

Candidate Brandon Johnson has been criticized for being too close to the Chicago Teachers Union, but he has suggested that his close relationship with the union actually puts him in the best position to get CTU to bend. As he said, “Who better to deliver bad news to friends than a friend?” […]

Johnson, on the other hand, has called for shifting funds from police to other social services, and I worry that the FOP would go to war with him on day one, just as the CTU did with Lightfoot after she defeated the union’s preferred candidate for mayor in 2019. We would all continue to pay a devastating price for that conflict.

* Sun-Times yesterday…

“[Larry Snelling, Mayor Johnson’s choice to lead the Chicago Police Department] was the one person that no matter which room we went in — from conservative rooms to progressive rooms to prosecutors to rank and file to community activists to the faith community, you name it — they all had great things to say about Larry Snelling,” [Anthony Driver, president of the new Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability] said. […]

Snelling “commands the room. He exudes leadership by his mere stature. The way he carries himself. The way he speaks. He’s a proven leader,” [19th Ward Ald. Matt O’Shea] said. “The men and women on the Chicago Police Department — they want that. They want a strong leader that they know is gonna walk the walk as opposed to just talking the talk. And they know that Larry Snelling is gonna have their back. Now, more than ever, they need to believe in that.” […]

John Catanzara, the president of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, said he was pleased with the mayor’s choice and offered no criticism.

“We’re glad it’s somebody that we know and know we can work with, somebody who I think the membership trusts and has faith that there’s hope in this department still,” Catanzara said.

He noted that Snelling quickly responded to a congratulatory text message on Sunday and called the union boss back to talk about next steps — a “night and day approach” from the past administration. Catanzara acknowledged that morale among the rank and file has already improved over the summer.

“[Mayor Johnson’s interim superintendent Larry Waller] absolutely made a concerted effort to repair the damage done — not only by Lightfoot, but by David Brown, to the FOP,” he said.

Politicians are often reduced to one-dimensional cartoons by opponents, pundits, the news media and the general public. Sometimes, the caricatures are accurate. Often-times, they’re not.

It’s way too early to judge how Johnson is doing his job, of course, and he wasn’t responsible for placing Snelling on the list of three candidates, but the reaction to this pick is quite something and definitely worth noting.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 8:50 am

Comments

==Catanzara acknowledged that morale among the rank and file has already improved over the summer.==

Weird, because Anonymous Chicago Cop Twitter and their blue check-purchasing adjacents keep insisting this is the worst leadership and worst summer of crime the city has ever seen and the only way to be safe in Chicago is for everyone to purchase a gun.

Perhaps we should ask if they think John Catanzara has gone woke.

Comment by Roadrager Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 9:01 am
Abusing prisoners, merit promotions, and supervisors demanding “results” over anything else are pretty much the three biggest factors that led to someone like Ronald Watts or Reynaldo Guevara.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 9:09 am
Who is keeping track of the mass exodus of police officers? This has not been in the news much.

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 9:35 am
To the post,

I think, truthfully, Catanzara, is both learning and evolving. Catanzara likely has folks in his ear working with him to also take “wins” where and when he can to offset the heavy negative rhetoric that was heard and seen in the election.

Johnson is the mayor. He heads the union.

It’s an important aspect of a relationship to find the times that aren’t combative, seek common ground, and push towards a relationship that has a dialog not trading insults or snide remarks.

The appointment is what it is. That’s a whole different argument, including “well, if Catanzara is happy…”. Just stop. That discussion only highlights what is happening here, the growth, evolution, the political smarts to moments Catanzara is using now as opposed to his past.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 9:45 am
Twitter and especially the writings of anyone unknown except they paid for a blue check has got to be one of the worst gauges of public opinion out there.

Comment by ZC Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 9:52 am
===the growth, evolution, the political smarts===

JCat is totally about personal growth man. That’s why he had so many Police Board cases. It was just his unwavering commitment to personal growth.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 9:56 am
It is easy for John Catanzara to evolve when the Mayor is not hurling accusations of racism, xenophobia and misogyny for daring to disagree with policies or labor disputes.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 9:57 am
===JCat is totally about personal growth man. That’s why he had so many Police Board cases. It was just his unwavering commitment to personal growth.===

The thing about politics…

You don’t haveta believe all you’re saying, or even embrace it… but the growth and evolving is listening to those around by stopping the things that don’t help his agenda.

Some call that nuance.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 9:59 am
Only - LP - can make John Catanzara a victim…

That’s some small mind thinking to all this.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 10:06 am
I agree with OW perhaps Cantazara is evolving and that is a good thing. Maybe just maybe he realizes an opportunity to bury the past take a win when u can and move on

Comment by Regular democrat Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 10:10 am
I assume that Three Dimensional Checkers is referring to the sustained allegations and merit promotions in Snelling’s background, discussed in the Tribune’s article. Those do raise some concerns.

Comment by Keyrock Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 10:11 am
=truthfully, Catanzara, is both learning and evolving.=

Not saying it isn’t happening, but it will take far, far more for one press release for me to believe it.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 10:19 am
==It is easy for John Catanzara to evolve when the Mayor is not hurling accusations of racism, xenophobia and misogyny for daring to disagree with policies or labor disputes.==

There is a germ of a good point in here, though it’s filtered LP’s usual “PITY THE POOR POWERFUL” nonsense.

But the fact is, Johnson, in spite of the overheated campaign rhetoric- including from Catanzara- isn’t acting like he’s hostile to police. Catanzara may be pleasantly surprised by this, and thus may be giving Johnson a little more slack.

Either way. If Johnson can make a meaningful improvement in crime/CPD (they’re actually two issues, they’re just glued together), he’s going to find himself with so much room to maneuver on everything else he wants to do. That’s no small “if”, but it would be like putting in cheat codes for the rest of his administration.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 10:34 am
Whatever. I’m not normaliing someone who literally called for a genocide against Muslims - I endorsed Johnson largely on his openess to people like Catanara and groups who elected such people. Yeah, I get it, he’s there and you have to work with him, but I can’t feel all warm and fuzzy over the friendly texts and nice words.

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 10:52 am
Sorry, I meant Vallas’ openeness to such people.

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 10:53 am
“It is easy for John Catanzara to evolve when the Mayor is not hurling accusations of racism, xenophobia and misogyny for daring to disagree with policies or labor disputes.”

Catanzara was what he is before anyone here had ever heard of Brandon Johnson, and all of those accusations would be correct. I wouldn’t let walking trash like Catanzara stand on my porch.
I’m sure everybody overexerting themselves to read the tea leaves here is right though, a new figurehead means it’s going to be a whole new era for CPD. Just like all the other times. They’re gonna do great now.

Comment by Larry Bowa Jr. Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 11:00 am
Johnson made a good pick. And he’s getting realistic on some of his other promises ($800,000 in new taxes for eg.) But the City is still down 1,400 officers. Even the Governor wants more cops.

Comment by Always something Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 11:20 am
All public employee union bosses have to run for re-election and bashing the administration has always been the best way to throw the rank-and-file a little red meat around election time. Cantanzara took that to an extreme, even for the FOP. Not surprising given he was elected the first time due almost entirely to his social media trolling skills. And since the last mayor never passed up the chance to get into an argument, each was the perfect foil for the other.

But he’s actually had to run a union the last few years and has learned that negotiating a contract and passing a bill in Springfield can’t be done on Facebook. Sure, there’s plenty of reason to question his past and his current motives, and to think the damage he’s done is unrepairable. But at the end of the day, a non-combative relationship between the FOP and mayor is a good thing, so let’s enjoy it while it lasts.

Comment by Telly Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 11:31 am
===You don’t haveta believe all you’re saying===

JCat believes everything he says. His ideology is literal madness.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 11:32 am
===believes everything he says===

Then he’s turned a corner, lol

Ideology is different than doing politically smart.

Your issues with him aren’t looking at what’s at play, since “believes everything he says” kinda undercuts your own take.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 11:35 am
According to ISP’s “Crime in Illinois” annual reports, CPD lost officers for the last 3 years the reports are available. From 2019 at 13,160, In 2020 down to 12,727, to 2021 at 9,535.

Comment by thisjustinagain Monday, Aug 14, 23 @ 6:57 pm