FOP News Release Opposing Unification of City-County Governments

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AUGUST 8, 2012

The Evansville Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 73 announces today they are strongly opposed to re-organization of City-County Government and support the efforts of Citizens Opposed to Re-Organization of Evansville (C.O.R.E). We have allowed C.O.R.E. to conduct their weekly meetings at our lodge located at 801 Court Street for the last month.

The F.O.P. conducted its own study in 2011 that found mergers of city and county law enforcement of nearby cities does not work. We believe that law enforcement was left out of this plan so that we, the F.O.P, would not oppose this question on the 2012 ballot. If voters decide to vote yes on this issue, they will lose their right to decide the merger of law enforcement to the Mayor and his 15 Member Council.

The F.O.P. does not agree with the plan that was rushed and hastily put together. The City and County law enforcement agencies differ in policing philosophy, pensions, insurance, wage structure, and equipment that would cost millions if the two agencies merged.

The F.O.P. plans to present informational meetings to residents throughout Vanderburgh County in the upcoming weeks to educate the voting public about the shortcomings of the plan. The F.O.P. will work to defeat the question on the fall ballot.

The F.O.P. was present during the recent hearing of the Election Board when CORE questioned the validity of the petition filed by the League of Women Voters, regarding placing the Re-Organization issue on the 2012 ballot. We believe that the Board’s decision was based on what they could or could not do legally at this time in reference to questioning the legality of the petition.

“It is clear that the number of valid signatures was well below the threshold of the 2,632 that was necessary to bring this issue to a vote. If done with due diligence, then the Vanderburgh County Clerk’s Office would have caught the fact that the petition in question had significant signature errors. It’s a shame that such an important issue is tainted by invalid signatures on the petition. This error will force registered voters of Vanderburgh County to decide an issue on the 2012 ballot that was not performed with due diligence.”

The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 73 has over 1,400 active and retired national, state, county, and city officers as well as local citizens that support local law enforcement.

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5 COMMENTS

  1. ” We believe that law enforcement was left out of this plan so that we, the F.O.P, would not oppose this question on the 2012 ballot.” (FOP Lodge 73)

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    Bingo!

    __

  2. A big mistake was made when the Sheriff Department and the FOP were not combined as part of the plan.

  4. I have been to 2 meetings with Chuck Knowl present. He is very impressive with his knoledge of government and his concern for the well being of the community. The PAC of the FOP is non-partisan and impressive in it’s scope. I’d be proud to be an associate member if they have such a thing.

  5. Voting No before the endorsement.
    Voting No after this endorsement with a big fat smile on my face on election day knowing the FOP went against Eric Williams and his pompous caboose.

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