Judge rules in favor of FOP over disciplinary guidelines

Fraternal Order of Police President Kevin Graham claimed victory Monday after an administrative law judge ruled in favor of the union, which opposed the Chicago Police Department’s new disciplinary guidelines for officers.

According to the judge’s ruling, the city violated the Illinois Labor Relations Act by not negotiating the new policy with the union, according to a statement from the FOP, which represents rank-and-file police officers.

The city was disappointed in the ruling and will file an appeal, according to spokesman Bill McCaffrey.

“The Chicago Police Department has authority from the collective bargaining agreement to impose discipline, and the disciplinary matrix is designed to provide certainty for officers and serves as a management tool so that recommendations are consistent across the department,” McCaffrey said.

Graham’s predecessor, Dean Angelo, filed an unfair labor practice complaint over the the Chicago Police Department’s proposed “disciplinary matrix” for “complaints registered” against officers before he lost a union election to Graham earlier this year.

“This is a great victory for our members,” Graham said in the statement. “The City is obligated to negotiate with us. According to this ruling, they will now have to. We will fight every attempt by the City to make changes without negotiating first.”

The union has also filed complaints with the labor board over the unilateral expansion of body cameras and the police department’s use of force policies.

In light of the decision, the police department will have to return to its disciplinary policies before the new guidelines were implemented and rescind any disciplinary action against officers that used the new guidelines, according to the union’s statement.

The judge’s decision was a recommended ruling and was not a final decision issued by the labor board.

The city has 30 days to appeal.