Officer: Felons policy unfair to black cops

[TheeBadOne]

RULE 47 | Cop is warned after letting convicted man drive car


An African-American Chicago Police officer contends that a rule barring cops from associating with criminals discriminates against black officers.
The officer argues the rule is more restrictive on black officers because of the disproportionate number of African Americans who have had contact with the criminal justice system.
» Click to enlarge image
A rule bars Chicago cops from associating with criminals.
(Sun-Times file)

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Last month, a supervisor warned Officer Sylvia Broadway she might have violated department rules -- asking if she knew that a man driving her car was a convicted felon.
Broadway, a 13-year veteran in the Wentworth District, said she was unaware the man was a felon until she asked him later.
The department is enforcing a "policy that appears to have bias overtones against a specific racial group, namely African Americans," she said to the supervisor in a memo. "It is as though a deliberate trap has been set for African-American police officers."
Some 8.4 percent of all black males ages 25 to 29 were in the U.S. prison population, according to a 2004 Bureau of Justice Statistics report, compared with 2.5 percent of Hispanic males that age, and 1.2 percent of white males.
Broadway says she does not want to lose her job or face discipline over the Police Department's Rule 47, which bars officers from associating with anyone convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor.
She also contends Rule 47 conflicts with the U.S. Constitution, discriminating against convicted criminals who paid their debt to society. In an interview, she said Rule 47 is void because the Police Board passed a different set of rules in 1987 that did not include it.



'No one stopped him'

On Sept. 11, Broadway was approached by her watch commander. He informed her a convicted felon had driven her car, which was parked near 57th and Calumet. She said she had known the man about seven months, and was unaware of his criminal record. He worked for a construction firm, she said.
"No one stopped him or detained him on a traffic stop," Broadway told the Sun-Times. "The car was parked at that location where they encountered him and a host of other people." She said she did not know how officers associated him with her car.
The department is investigating, police spokeswoman Monique Bond said.
Rule 47 was originally designed to break up cozy relationships between cops and the mob. It's been in the headlines a few times in the past decade.


'He was a friend'


In 1997, police Supt. Matt Rodriguez retired because of his association with an ex-con, telling reporters: "I didn't look on him as Frank the felon. He was a friend."
In 2006, former Chicago Police Cmdr. Michael Acosta was sentenced to five months in prison after admitting to stealing $4,000 meant for a ceremony honoring police officers. Secret tapes also revealed a close relationship between Acosta and convicted felon John "Quarters" Boyle -- a Rule 47 violation, the FBI said.
Pat Hill, executive director of the African American Police League, said she backs Broadway, noting she has not been formally disciplined.
Fraternal Order of Police President Mark Donahue said he does not have a problem with the rule. He said the department does not discipline officers whose family members have criminal records. "The FOP has accepted Rule 47," he said.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/6...cop14.article#

[Big Sexy]

Some 8.4 percent of all black males ages 25 to 29 were in the U.S. prison population, according to a 2004 Bureau of Justice Statistics report, compared with 2.5 percent of Hispanic males that age, and 1.2 percent of white males.

Seems to BIG SEXY that the officer needs to meet and hang out with the other 91.6 percent of black males, without felony convictions.

Or she can choose from amongst several other racial and ethnic groups, who do not possess the scarlet "F", for felon.

BIG suspects this is just an other example of a good woman lead astray, after having her "g" spot massaged. Just trying to find any excuse, no matter how asinine, to keep that good loving around.

[jmur5074]

ridiculous

[Iron Man]

How retarded is this...

[bird1]

Rule 47 is there for a reason. If someone wants to hang with their ex-con hoodlum friends then don't be a cop. All my friends are cops and there is a select group that are not in law enforcement. Just use common sense, but for a few that doesn't apply

[gozling]

can we flip it and make it a white thing too?

fucking retarded

for a few??? common sense is absent in more than a few LOL

[Pedro56]

Officer: Felons policy unfair to black cops



This is what gets me though the head line. Everyone always has to play the race card. I think we should let them hang out with felons because I want this bitch to get a wild I hate whitey hair up her ass and disseminate mine and my family's information all over the crime world. Fuck her I hope they find a way to go out and fire her now. Always gotta pull that punk ass race card.

I have family members that are felons that I haven't seen since I started this job. Do I care? No. Do I cry racist? No. Maybe if there was a better home life and a better focus on work ethic instead of thug life maybe there would be less convicted felons living in certain areas. I have a Gangster Disciple that lives down the street that was convicted of murder, and I live in an all white neighborhood. So, should it be ok for me to go hangout and watch the Bears games with this piece of shite? Absolutely not. I have seen him walking his dog, and I have always showed hostility and steel when I cross his path. I want him no where near my family or me. I am tired of the race card being played out and played out. I am going to sit outside of Statesville and wait for some nasty ho to get released from custody and start dating her and claim it is a racist policy when I get busted. I can't wait until I see this Orca-fied 300 lb police woman and give her a piece of mind when I get back to work.

[adroitcuffs]

It never ceases to amaze me... let's just absolve everyone on the planet from common sense.

Little Miss Sylvia needs to be more careful about those with whom she chooses to associate, plain and simple. Rule 47 is NOT discriminatory against any ethnic group. One could argue that if a larger percentage of black males than other ethinic groups are incarcerated, then perhaps black males are less able to follow the law and therefore less able to function in society. Mind you, I'm not saying I believe that anyone is incapable of following the law, I'm just using the data to illustrate how ridiculous Sylvia's argument is.

People like Sylvia make me ill....

[lewisipso]

I have convicted felons in my family. Family not friends or associates, and we sure as hell ain't having lunch. I don't give a crap who you are, you want to walk on that side you ain't taking me with you.

[Buttercup]

It never ceases to amaze me... let's just absolve everyone on the planet from common sense.

Little Miss Sylvia needs to be more careful about those with whom she chooses to associate, plain and simple. Rule 47 is NOT discriminatory against any ethnic group. One could argue that if a larger percentage of black males than other ethinic groups are incarcerated, then perhaps black males are less able to follow the law and therefore less able to function in society. Mind you, I'm not saying I believe that anyone is incapable of following the law, I'm just using the data to illustrate how ridiculous Sylvia's argument is.

People like Sylvia make me ill....

+1

[Ducky]

How incredibly insulting.

[TheeBadOne]

Yeah, I love how the reply to everything is:

[JLK]

I was thinking maybe the mods could change it into a poll but it looks like everybody so far thinks is stupid.
I mean either she is tell a bold face lie '' together 7 months and I did not know he was a felony'' or she has other problems with what else he is hiding.
hood is as hood does.

[Rhino]

Rule 47 is there for a reason. If someone wants to hang with their ex-con hoodlum friends then don't be a cop. All my friends are cops and there is a select group that are not in law enforcement. Just use common sense, but for a few that doesn't apply

First off, I think having all your friends be cops detatches you from reality. I'm grateful for my non-cop friends because having your head in the job too much can only bring about more stress. It also gives me insight to other's opinions that aren't cops and keeps me grounded. But, I digress.

I was once like you, Bird, having a "select group" of friends. I guess I still do.

Then one day, one of my best friends since high school got arrested for a felony. He's still in prison, so I don't have to worry about violating our department's policy yet. But he's getting out soon, hopefully before Christmas. I've lost count of how many times him and his family was there for me when my real family couldn't be- even on holidays. I've had many Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with his family. I call his mother "Mom" and his younger sister I've grown close to as well and think of her as my little sister.

Now when he gets out and his family throws him a "Welcome Home" party what am I going to say? "I can't- it's against policy"?

Yes, I'm mad at him for commiting a crime. But I've always considered this man my brother. When I heard about it- I wanted to hit him and hug him at the same time.

The whole subject matter is not as black and white (no pun intended) as you think. Do I think the policy racist? No, of course not. Do I think the policy needs changing? Yes.

I'll even do you one better, Bird. One of my good cop friends, who sat next to me in the academy, and formed a kind of close bond with, was arrested a couple of weeks ago by the GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigations) on 20 counts of child pornogrophy. I don't face as big of a moral delimma because we've lost touch even since we left the department we started in, but it could have just as been a big of deal as the other guy.

What if one of your close friends- cop or not- was charged with a felony? Just gonna sever that tie?

I don't think for one second that it can't happen do you. Because it happened to me. Twice.

It's not as easy as it sounds, brother.

[121Traffic]

I am in agreement with Rhino here. Do I think that this lady is a fucking moron? of course. Do I agree with the race card being pulled? Absolutely not.

Do I think the rule goes a little far? Perhaps. I just don't think that's something that can ever be pigeon holed as black and white. I can understand not hanging out with felons in MOST examples, but not all. If I had a younger brother, and he got caught stealing some clothes from an expensive store in excess of $500, that would make him a felon, meaning I couldn't talk to my own brother anymore? I had a friend in HS that got charged with a felony for knocking someone's phone out of their hand when they were calling the police during a fight that broke out during a party. He took a deferred sentence in exchange for a guilty plea. I can't talk to him now?

I just think that there's a happy medium here. This rule even prohibits cops from associating with those convicted of MISDEMEANORS. Give me a break. That is just a little far, IMO. Let's be real about this guys...just because we may have a friend or two that have made some poor decisions in their past does not mean that we associate with "trash." I have a buddy that was convicted of disorderly conduct after a bar fight. He later managed to enlist in the Marines and serve bravely for two tours in Afghanistan. Guess he's just a thug now and I need to disassociate myself from him. Ex-Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy was convicted of domestic dispute charges of destruction of property...guess I better throw away my autographed jersey! See where this all leads?

The bottom line is that each circumstance is different, and no rule can ever account for that. Once the association becomes a conflict of interest, I'm all for policies to take effect. But prohibiting someone from associating from anyone with a minor misdemeanor, or felony 10 years ago? That's a bit much.

[armsmaster270]

I can see the felon part but not for misdemeanors. Why would you wish to associate with a felon, is he your role model, DUH.

[PeterJasonMN]

Bros Before Badges!

[Five-0]

Bros Before Badges!

Okkkkkkkkyyyyyyyy

[Jenna]

Bros Before Badges!

[lewisipso]

Is anyone willing to violate policy and risk your career and retirement over that policy. I would hope that the "felon" would appreciate your position. Perhaps assisting that person with an expungment of the record would be a better avenue. Or find another department without that policy.
This is just my opinion but when I signed on for this career I agreed to keep my personal life unsoiled so that I would be better accountable to that "higher standard" society holds us to. My department does not pursue a policy like that so any worries there are not necessarily a concern. They would however frown on it severly if it became an issue.
I have a "step brother", (actually a very close former friend) that I grew up with and knew for over 15 years. He was a wayward child and lived with myself and my family off and on in his childhood. He made some very erroneous and continued decisions in his life that saddled him with misdemeanor and felony charges. I haven't seen him in over 15 years and I have never been under such a policy that was enforced. I'm would not be willing to risk my career over policy. If a relationship were that important, as I am sure some are, I would change departments first and give up my seniority, position or anything else.