Police union fires back at Lightfoot over reform measures

Chicago’s rank-and-file police union fired back against Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Friday with an open letter marking the latest volley in a rhetorical battle between the new mayor and her longtime political nemesis.

The Fraternal Order of Police slammed the “inflammatory and false allegations” they say Lightfoot has lobbed against the officers’ union, most recently during the City Council meeting on Wednesday when she said she’d sit down for contract negotiations with the FOP “any time you’re willing to move forward on reform and not block every single issue.”

Union leaders insisted they have “accepted reform” following the scathing 2016 Justice Department report on CPD policies, though their letter immediately goes on to note a potential federal consent decree was rejected by ex-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and then calls the ensuing decree agreed to by the city and state “a host of senseless policies and bureaucracy imposed upon our officers that will only handcuff the police.

“The measures have also been extraordinarily expensive to both the Lodge and the taxpayers with no real benefit,” reads the three-page letter, which is signed by vice presidents Patrick Murray and Martin Preib, as well as legal defense co-chair Robert Bartlett — but not FOP President Kevin Graham.

The union said Lightfoot’s policy goals “reflect a political ideology rather than sound constitutional policing policies,” and branded as “ludicrous” her recent spread of a rumor that FOP leaders told members to scale back efforts ahead of a violent Memorial Day weekend.

They also cited Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s handling of the Jussie Smollett case, calling it “puzzling for the Lodge that Mayor Lightfoot continually calls for reform measures against our measures, but demands none from Ms. Foxx.”

Lightfoot’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.

Read the full letter from the FOP: