That is the way the front page headlines ran in Friday's Courier-Journal. What an absolutely horrible and misleading headline!The FOP disagrees with the firing of these Officers and will fight to get them their jobs back. All members of the FOP which includes all Metro Officers except 7 Officers and Chief Robert White, who chose not to become a member when he relocated to Louisville, are covered under the National FOP Legal Defense Plan. FOP Lodge # 614 is the 11th Largest FOP Lodge in the Nation with over 2,200 Members. There are over 8,000 FOP Members in the State of Kentucky and 318,000 Nationwide. The FOP is the oldest and Largest Police Labor Organization in the United States.
While the FOP Executive Board was at a training seminar at the National Lodge they received many phone calls from members telling them what had transpired while they were out of town. Several interviews were given by phone from the President and Vice President of our Lodge. We can not dictate what is printed or what portion of the interview will be played on the air.
Whenever you wonder why the FOP doesnâ?'t make statements regarding detail about the specificities of charges brought against one of our members, it is because we are following the Police Officerâ?'s Bill of Rights established in 1994. Statements made prior to final disposition of the charges, which arguably includes the appeal process would be in violation of this State Law.It is many times under the advice of counsel that statements are not made concerning the facts of the case because it would impact negatively on our members involved and could possibly jeopardize their case. Impartiality in these matters is important. Unfortunately some media outlets do not believe in this process and try to sensationalize stories in order to gain ratings and sell advertising.
The freedoms that our forefathers fought and died for and that young men and women are still fighting for overseas today are sadly taken for granted because a â??hot storyâ? takes precedence over due process.
Officers in Kentucky are covered under the Police Officer's Bill of Rights.