In May of 2010, an FOPALC member, a Sergeant, was disciplined for failing to properly log seized property into evidence.  The Sergeant had taken a discarded tire-jack from an abandoned drug-runner truck and placed it in a Department patrol vehicle for emergency use.  The Sergeant accepted full responsibility for his failure to properly log the abandoned tire-jack into evidence, and was willing to accept appropriate discipline.  However, the discipline administered was a demotion from Sergeant to Officer, which was disproportionately severe to the offense. 

Accordingly, the FOPALC attorney, Neil Landeen of the law firm of Yen, Pilch, Komadina, & Flemming, represented him throughout the investigation and disciplinary proceedings, as well as the demotion appeal hearing.  Neil was able to gather, via use of Arizona public records law, several examples of other employees who had been found to have violated the same policies, or who had committed much more egregious acts, yet they had been disciplined minimally.  The demotion appeal hearing was held before the City Merit System Protection Board.  At the hearing, Neil argued, among other things, that in demoting the Sergeant, the City had failed to administer discipline in a fair, impartial, and consistent manner.  At the conclusion of the hearing, the Board voted unanimously that the decision to demote was not made in good faith for cause, and that the Sergeant should be reinstated to the rank of Sergeant and given back pay.
 

Phoenix Police Officer Travis Murphy
E.O.W. 05/26/10

On May 26, 2010 at approximately 0130 hours Officer Travis Murphy #8474 and his partner of the 72K squad responded to a call for service in the area of 19th Avenue and Fairmont. While on-scene, Officer Murphy sustained several gunshot wounds and later died at a local hospital. Officer Murphy was the father of two and had served the residents on Phoenix for over the past 5 years. The suspect was apprehended thanks to the work of his fellow Phoenix Police Family.

We here at Lodge 2 know he will be missed dearly. Our thought and prayers got to his Wife, Children, family members and his fellow officers who now have to deal with this tragic loss.

Danny Ledezma Martinez, 30, of Tucson, is accused of gunning down Officer Murphy with an automatic rifle. Martinez is charged with first-degree murder, unlawful flight from law enforcement, burglary and misconduct involving weapons.

Fraternally,

Lou Manganiello, President
Fraternal Order of Police
Phoenix Lodge 2
 

I.      Legislative News and Activity   II.     This Week in Congress III.    Update on FOP Top Legislative Priorities  IV.     Update on LEOSA  V.      UPDATE: Day on the Hill RESCHEDULED

Every year the Glendale Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 12 hosts an annual Shop With a Glendale Cop Event.  Local low-income families from Glendale are selected by their schools and local Community Action teams to take part in this one night event.

FOP President Leads Effort to Include Our Bill on End of Year Agenda
Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, spent all of last week in Washington, D.C. working in tandem with the staff in the National Legislative Office in an effort to get the language of S. 1611, “Public Employee-Employer Cooperation Act,” incorporated into several likely pieces of legislation that Congress will be considering before ending the session.

“We’re cautiously optimistic,” Canterbury said.  “Congress has several bills that it must complete before concluding its business for the year.  The fact is, we have a lot of bipartisan support for the bill and we’ve approached it in a very honest and open way.  We do have a chance of getting this done.”

BLEVE Records announces the release of “My First Ride,” a compilation CD to benefit the

Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and the International Association of Firefighters’ (IAFF)

Disaster Relief Funds.

PHOENIX -- The Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, with more than 7,000 members across the state, endorses Bill Gates and encourages voters to retain him as Phoenix City Councilman for District 3.

PHOENIX -- The Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, with more than 7,000 members across the state, endorses Bill Gates and encourages voters to retain him as Phoenix City Councilman for District 3.

Today, nearly 3,000 delegates at the 59th Biennial National Conference of the Fraternal Order of Police in Long Beach, California, re-elected by acclamation Chuck Canterbury of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for a fourth term as National President of the organization.

Canterbury had previously served on the Grand Lodge Executive Board as Second Vice President for three terms, beginning in 1995, and was elected to National Vice President in 2001. Following the death of then-National President Steve Young in 2003, Canterbury assumed the office of National President and was subsequently re-elected in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Canterbury is a 25-year veteran of the Horry County Police Department in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area and a Charter member of Horry County Lodge #12.

"I am very honored to again be chosen to lead the Fraternal Order of Police and to serve my brother and sister officers," said Canterbury. "I will work tirelessly each and every day for each and every member to expand the police labor movement and maintain the FOP's national preeminence with policymakers in Washington, D.C. As our police officers work for the safety and betterment of their communities, I will work for the safety and betterment of our profession."

Arizona Fraternal of Police President, Bryan Soller, welcomes Sgt. Crowley to the FOP family.

Sgt. James Crowley, the Massachusetts officer who arrested Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates spoke at the National Fraternal Order of Police convention in Long Beach where he was greeted with applause.

"My sole purpose for coming here is to reach out and sincerely thank you," said Crowley.

"The past month has been very difficult for my family, my friends and my colleagues back in Cambridge, and it’s no exaggeration to say that it wouldn’t be as easy for me to handle this without the support from the Fraternal Order of Police ... and the support that the men and women who do this job have given me," Crowley said. "Thank you very much."

FOP NEWS: Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, hailed the introduction of S. 1611 , the "Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act," and repeated his earlier claim that he was all but certain the bill would be enacted this Congress.

"This is not an assertion we make lightly, but we laid the groundwork for success last Congress," said Canterbury.  "President Obama was a strong supporter of the bill and, as a candidate, pledged that he would sign it into law."