Former head of FOP blames 3-year suspension from union on ‘politics’

Former Fraternal Order of Police President Kevin Graham says his three-year suspension from the union is all about “politics” after he was accused by his successor of leaving a camera in his office and not disclosing it.

Current FOP President John Catanzara confirmed the suspension Wednesday night, but Graham denied any wrongdoing.

“This is politics, and Mr. Catanzara and I do not see eye to eye on a lot of things,” Graham said Wednesday night.

Catanzara had already tried to have Graham removed from the FOP Board in June after the camera was discovered in his office at the FOP Lodge 7 headquarters, 1412 W. Washington St.

Graham told the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday night that the camera, which was installed after he noticed things missing from his desk, was rigged to the rest of the building’s security, and that he never had access to the recordings during or after his time in office.

“I never had any control over it, never had access to it,” Graham said. “[Catanzara] knew it; he doesn’t care.”

Graham served as head of the Chicago police union for three years. Catanzara ousted Graham as head of the FOP after beating him in a runoff in May.