FOP President Praises Chicago Cops For Work At NATO Protests
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The head of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police is praising his members for the jobs they did over the past few days during the NATO summit.
And as WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports, FOP President Shields says he hopes Mayor Rahm Emanuel remembers the kind of job police did during NATO when it comes to a new police contract.
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The city's contract with Chicago Police officers expires at the end of next month. There have already been some talks.
Shields says he hopes the mayor keeps in mind the job done by rank and file to keep the peace during NATO as the two sides try to reach a new deal. The mayor has glowingly praised police for the work they did during NATO.
Everyone saw police taunted, Shields says, but that they "maintained their professionalism during this entire experience" and that Chicagoans should be proud.
As for the job Supt. Garry McCarthy did, Shields said, "I definitely salute him for his appearance in person, and I think he did a very good job leading. But I also think the rank-and-file guys really performed so well that every Chicagoan should be proud."
Shields says police showed their professionalism by ignoring protesters who called them names.
He says officers were justified any time they used their batons, even if some protesters now call those actions brutality.
And of the protesters who were locked up, Shields says, it appears those people wanted to be arrested and got their wish.
