Commentary

How I visualized the turbulent tenures of Chicago’s FOP presidents
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Local artist Veronica Martinez describes how she approached illustrating portraits of the eight leaders of Chicago’s largest police union.
The Chicago chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police represents thousands of rank-and-file officers at the Chicago Police Department. Most of them never make headlines. But the presidents elected to lead the labor union through the years are another story. This series examines the oft-contentious tenures of FOP presidents, from the civil rights movement of the 1960s to the Black Lives Matter era today. It shows a pattern of incendiary rhetoric and antagonism toward racial justice and reform movements.
Local artist Veronica Martinez describes how she approached illustrating portraits of the eight leaders of Chicago’s largest police union.
We interviewed past and present police union presidents, activists, and legal scholars for perspectives about the role FOP leaders have played since the organization established itself in Chicago nearly 60 years ago.
Injustice Watch reviewed the tenures of past FOP presidents elected by Chicago police, from the civil rights movement to the Black Lives Matter era. We found a history of police union leaders making inflammatory statements, antagonizing racial justice and police reforms, and shielding allegedly brutal cops from accountability.