EXAMSCAM: The COVER-UP Continues...
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
After a seven year hiatus, the unapologetic City of Chicago has finally announced that there will be a promotional process for Sergeant of Police beginning on Saturday, October 26th. I would be remiss if I neglected to inform potential candidates of the sordid history of ExamScam which occurred before their appointments to the once proud Chicago Police Department. "MERIT" = CLOUT. We will begin with the ExamScam letter to then Mayor Daley followed by the epilogue.
In the event you have questions or need clarifications, the only way to contact me is via eMail at cpdfop7@yahoo.com. To avoid routine deletion as spam, please enter "ExamScam Cover-Up" in the eMail subject line field. I do not participate in facebook or other "social networking" sites. Alternatively, you can post on-topic comments on the popular unsanctioned CPD Second City Cop blog site: ►www.SecondCityCop.blogspot.com.◄ Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), §5 ILCS 140, you are also encouraged to submit FOIA requests to the City of Chicago.
The Second City Cop ARCHIVES link:
►http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=13350456&postID=4984660449473941618◄
I treasure my privacy and since I am not a masochist, I will not have any dealings with the despicable rattlesnakes [Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass excluded] aka local mainstream media. However, on behalf of more than 600 police sergeants, we thank NBC Chicago WMAQ-TV Channel 5, particularly Marsha Bartel and Doug Longhini for producing the exposé for "EXAMSCAM - The Movie". © NBC
►www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dzT1MQhoDc◄
(Sgt.) John Northen (Ret.)
aka: "NorthSide"
Chicago Police Department
October 1, 2013
cpdfop7@yahoo.com
NOTE: "9171" is the payroll designator for "Sergeant of Police"
The Honorable Richard M. Daley
The Mayor of the City of Chicago
City Hall - Room 507
121 North LaSalle Street
Chicago, Illinois 60602
Dear Mayor Daley:
On behalf of the 9171 Committee and our membership, the undersignedrespectfully requests that you initiate an investigation into the so-called oral board component of the 1987 Lieutenants' Exam [ExamScam] and stay any further promotions to that rank pending the outcome of the investigation.
The 9171 Committee charges that during the summer of 1987, City officials conspired to rig four of eight items in the scoring key with trick responses which were subsequently leaked to favored candidates, ensuring their success.
ExamScam sparked a firestorm of outrage which united over 93% or 607 of the 652 victimized sergeants in an awesome statement of righteous indignation. We proudly note that our numbers include whites (92.7%), blacks (93.6%), Hispanics (96.0%) and Asian-Americans (100.0%), the women (94.1%) edging out the men (93.1%). Special mentions include all four retirees, our most prominent "flunky", Terry Gainer, and all but one of those on leave. We were deeply moved when two critically ill sergeants kicked in their $100 checks from hospital beds: Bill Jones has since recovered while Richard Walton succumbed to terminal cancer six days later. Indeed, ExamScam had struck a raw nerve.
If current indications are correct, no known violation of state or federal law has occurred. What remains is an ethical issue not unlike the infamous promotion scandal which erupted within the Atlanta Police Department in 1977. Add the unprecedented treachery of a rigged scoring key and the enormity of ExamScam becomes apparent. Your administration has inherited what has all the earmarks of the worst police promotion scandal in U.S. history!
The paper trail is as damning as it is irretrievable. Comprehensive statistical analyses of raw data have produced four specific exhibits of documented evidence which support our charge. Graphs, computer printouts and other pertinent data have been enclosed for your scrutiny. A synopsis of the four exhibits follows:
¶ A CHICANERY CONFIRMED. An analysis of the 18,744 ratings of item responses includes incontrovertible documentation that Items #2, #5, #6 and #7 "stumped" our membership base at a rate of 85% while those promoted to lieutenant had a difficulty rate of only 10%. Since all candidates were provided with the oral board questions months beforehand, a response pattern similar to that of Items #4 and #8 (97.4% correct) was to be expected for all items until the sleaze factor took control.◄¶
¶ B HIDDEN AGENDA. The City maintained that an oral board weighted at an incredible 80% was necessary to reflect the candidate pool (72% white, 24% black and 4% Hispanic) through the top 200. The City came within ± 1 of their professed goal. Using identical scores, a 34% oral precisely reflects the candidate pool. However, 40% of the 116 promoted lieutenants would still be sergeants due to their mediocre showing in the short answer essay component.◄¶
The last two exhibits are based on direct and valid comparisons between the official City list and a standard known as the X-list. The X-list is a statistically sound rank-order list which fairly measures the relative excellence of all candidates in the two objective components of the exam. Conventional methods were used to resolve ties and adjust for race.
¶ C THE GATES PARADOX. Minority membership levels and a direct comparison between the City list and the X-list contradict the City's pretextual commitment to the principles of affirmative action and compliance with Title VII. The fact is that both the success and failure rates for the most deserving minorities were 20% worse than that of their white counterparts. Nowhere is this hypocrisy more strikingly evident than in the case of William L. Gates, a black sergeant. After months of diligent study, Sgt. Gates achieved perfect scores in the two objective components of the exam. However, in a ten-minute oral board, he "bombed" on all four trick items and became one of 452 "failures".◄¶
¶ D THE ADMINISTRATIVE CLUSTER. An analysis of a clearly-defined statistical aggregate of all administrative sergeants serving in "administration" units on April 16, 1987 provides overwhelming proof of fraud. Among these 36 sergeants, random chance would place 10 to 11 in the top 250. A bright group, the X-list places 20 in the top 250. The City claims an incredible thirty-four (34 of 36) successes. Even with their demonstrated skills considered, cold mathematical precision sets the likelihood of such success at less than one chance in 13.8 trillion (13,800,000,000,000)!Based on $4 ticket purchases, you would have a better shot at winning the Lotto jackpot twice! ◄¶
All raw data and statistical exhibits have been reviewed by one of the nation's foremost experts in demographics, Dr. Pierre deVisé, an acknowledged statistical expert. In addition, experts in psychometrics provided assistance. Describing the oral board as "inherently absurd", Dr. deVisé stated "It goes beyond mere incompetence. It indicates deliberation and planning. There is no logical explanation for this other than rigging. It had to be rigged." [emphasis added]
Very respectfully yours,
s/John Northen
(Sgt.) John Northen
9171 Committee
Enclosures
The COVER-UP of EXAMSCAM is ongoing to this day. After the letter was received by then Mayor Richard M. Daley, he eventually "cherry-picked" a "blue ribbon panel" of "outsiders" to "investigate". Before convening, each panel member received a certified mail VHS copy of a televised Channel 5 ExamScam exposé and the above letter to Mayor Daley. Ergo, "plausible deniability" is not an option for "da Mare's kangaroos". They later came to Chicago to hold hearings. Among those that testified were "successful" ("it's all legit") newly promoted lieutenants. The City Corporation Counsel Susan S. Sher refused to allow Sgt. Northen to appear before the "blue ribbon panel" with the "smoking gun" incontrovertible evidence of the worst police promotion scandal in U.S. history. Two years later, Daley's "blue ribbon panel" quietly concluded that there was no evidence of fraud.
In 1989, Terry Brunner and the Better Government Association (BGA) and WMAQ-TV Channel 5 "Unit 5" investigative reporter Peter Karl aired a four-part series exposing ExamScam.
"EXAMSCAM - The Movie" is now available for viewing on YouTube: ► www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dzT1MQhoDc◄ At that time, Mr. Karl was regarded by the victim sergeants as our "knight in shining armor". However, when Sgt. Northen attempted to contact Mr. Karl after Ms. Sher denied him access to the "blue ribbon panel", Mr. Karl did not return his calls. "Judas" Karl had since contracted with the City of Chicago to produce public relations programing ("CrimeWatch") for the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) for a mere $815,490.00 fee, confidentiality agreement included. "Judas" abandoned whistleblower Northen to "twist slowly, slowly in the wind" at the merciless hands of the City of Chicago and vindictive Superintendent LeRoy Martin, et al.
Sgt. Northen also schlepped a load of cardboard boxes containing the damning evidence down to the Tribune Tower to allow then Chicago Tribune editor James P. Gallagher and his staff to examine and publicly expose the ExamScam scandal. Mr. Gallagher also met with a white, black and Hispanic sergeant as well as Sgt. Northen. The Tribune did absolutely nothing. After several weeks, Northen returned and picked up the boxes of evidence which currently remain in a secure storage location. Meanwhile, expressing no interest whatsoever, the Chicago Sun-Times ignored the scandal.
A score of unnamed newly promoted lieutenants, most actually worthy of promotion based on the X-list, confided in Sgt. Northen that the "oral board" had indeed been rigged and that they were tipped to the shibboleth "notify the watch commander" beforehand. Only 35 (30%) of the 116 sergeants promoted to lieutenant in the first two waves could justify their promotions by their high scores on the X-list. The remaining 81 promotions (70%) were given to "clout babies" who displaced worthy candidates. The fact is that the overwhelming majority of these promotions were based on the fraud that the City of Chicago now calls "MERIT" promotions.
In a federal corruption probe known as "Operation Phocus", the Office of the then U.S. Attorney Anton R. Valukas was investigating corruption within the CPD liquor license section. A redacted photocopy of an FBI form FD-302 was circulating throughout the CPD. FBI Special Agent Daniel Berger therein documented his interview with Robert Purtill, a former liquor license sergeant. The new lieutenant admitted that in a quid pro quo, he had made a substantial cash "campaign contribution" to then 7th Ward Alderman William Beavers. He was subsequently promoted to lieutenant from rank position #98 on the City's ExamScam list despite his abysmal showing on the X-list. Purtill also told the FBI that earlier, he had bribed then 24th Ward Alderman William Henry for his promotion to sergeant. Henry was later implicated in "Operation Silver Shovel". In a certified (P 908 386 757) letter to Mr. Valukas on behalf of the 9171 Committee, Sgt. Northen requested federal intervention into ExamScam. U.S. Attorney Valukas never responded to Sgt. Northen's complaint. Mr. Valukas is currently the chairman of the law firm of Jenner & Block. He was recently contacted via eMail for a credible explanation for failing to take action. Once again, Mr. Valukas has yet to respond.
Former CPD Supt. LeRoy Martin, "The Father of ExamScam", passed away on August 31st. According to other exempt "raters" interviewed, Sgt. Northen learned that it was then Area 4 Deputy Chief Martin who conceived of "notify the watch commander" as the clandestine response to at least two of the four trick items. A week before Mayor Harold Washington's sudden death, he appointed Martin as the CPD superintendent. Like Acting Mayor Eugene Sawyer before him, Daley inherited ExamScam. During a handshake upon Mayor Sawyer's arrival for an evening meeting at a home in the 25th District, on-duty Sgt. Northen passed a note to the mayor alerting him to the scandal. In a backpage blurb in the next newspaper cycle, Alderman William Beavers, then chairman of the Committee on Police and Fire, declared that he was going to look into the controversy, a classic case of "the fox guarding the chicken coop". Likewise, Sgt. Northen passed a note to Maggie Daley who was campaigning for her husband at a banquet hall at 5600 W. Fullerton Ave. Sgt. Northen had only one personal conversation with Martin which occurred at the 25th District station. Superintendent Martin told Sgt. Northen that there is no room in the Chicago Police Department for "free spirits".
Only one cosmetic change has occurred since: Instead of rigging the process for their clouted favorites, the City now refers to their current process as "MERIT" promotions in which once again, clouted high-ranking CPD officials perpetuate CLOUT by secretly selecting promotees. Criteria for "MERIT" remains undefined with no accountability, transparency or integrity. Rather than bastardize the Merriam-Webster definition of the word "merit", current promotional criteria could be euphemistically described as "arbitrary management discretion" aka CLOUT!
Don't hold your breath waiting for the complicit local mainstream news media, which has degenerated into the propaganda wing of City Hall, to inform taxpayers of the dirty little secrets of Chicago's institutionalized Democratic Machine. It ain't gonna happen. In the sleaziest traditions of "the Chicago Way", the COVER-UP of EXAMSCAM continues unabated. No small credit goes to our "vigilant watchdogs"—the local mainstream print media. Pravda!
Based on pretextual and relentless retaliation against this whistleblower by the City of Chicago and pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1983, I filed a lawsuit [see 126 F.3d 1024: John W. Northen v. City of Chicago, et al.] for repeated violations of my First Amendment rights. I initially retained former CPD superintendent Richard Joseph Brzeczek as my attorney. Foolishly, I trusted him. My bad. Based on my own personal experiences with that treacherous scoundrel, I would never recommend that he be hired to even do a real estate closing on an outhouse. He either deliberately sabotaged a large portion of my case by allowing the statute of limitations to expire or he is the dumbest person to ever pass a bar exam. I'm certain that Brzeczek would gladly admit to the latter for fear of disbarment. I fired him, retained outstanding trustworthy counsel and ultimately settled with the City of Chicago.
My sole objective is to bring about meaningful and desperately needed reforms to the CPD by educating Chicago taxpayers as well as current active and prospective CPD members that without any doubt whatsoever and the (Michael) Shakman Decree notwithstanding, they are residing in the most politically corrupt major city in the nation. Insidious political patronage is metastasizing, even flourishing. Chicago's official motto is "Urbs in Horto" ("City in a Garden"). To quote the late legendary Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko, reality cries out that this Latin motto be changed to "Ubi Est Mea" ("Where's Mine?").
Shame? Fuggedaboudit! Among machine Democrats and their clouted patrons, some actually take a perverse pride in Chicago's ignominious international reputation for a culture of deeply entrenched political corruption. Like many other officers, I take great personal pride in my accomplishments and professionalism as a member of a most noble of callings: Chicago's Finest. I'll be damned if I will stand by and allow corrupt politicians to make the CPD a demoralizing haven for inept hack "leaders" and sycophants who wouldn't know a felon if he bit them in the buttocks. I can honestly say that hunting down bad guys was the most fun I could have with my clothes on. Is it any wonder why Chicago politics is the laughingstock of late night television comedians and Saturday Night Live? It's "the Chicago Way".
Fool me twice, shame on me.
After a seven year hiatus, the unapologetic City of Chicago has finally announced that there will be a promotional process for Sergeant of Police beginning on Saturday, October 26th. I would be remiss if I neglected to inform potential candidates of the sordid history of ExamScam which occurred before their appointments to the once proud Chicago Police Department. "MERIT" = CLOUT. We will begin with the ExamScam letter to then Mayor Daley followed by the epilogue.
In the event you have questions or need clarifications, the only way to contact me is via eMail at cpdfop7@yahoo.com. To avoid routine deletion as spam, please enter "ExamScam Cover-Up" in the eMail subject line field. I do not participate in facebook or other "social networking" sites. Alternatively, you can post on-topic comments on the popular unsanctioned CPD Second City Cop blog site: ►www.SecondCityCop.blogspot.com.◄ Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), §5 ILCS 140, you are also encouraged to submit FOIA requests to the City of Chicago.
The Second City Cop ARCHIVES link:
►http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=13350456&postID=4984660449473941618◄
I treasure my privacy and since I am not a masochist, I will not have any dealings with the despicable rattlesnakes [Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass excluded] aka local mainstream media. However, on behalf of more than 600 police sergeants, we thank NBC Chicago WMAQ-TV Channel 5, particularly Marsha Bartel and Doug Longhini for producing the exposé for "EXAMSCAM - The Movie". © NBC
►www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dzT1MQhoDc◄
(Sgt.) John Northen (Ret.)
aka: "NorthSide"
Chicago Police Department
October 1, 2013
cpdfop7@yahoo.com
NOTE: "9171" is the payroll designator for "Sergeant of Police"
9171 COMMITTEE
AN AD HOC COMMITTEE REPRESENTING MORE THAN 600 WHITE, BLACK, HISPANIC AND ASIAN-AMERICAN SERGEANTS. OUR MISSION: A FAIR PROMOTIONAL PROCESS WITHIN THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
April 18, 1990
CERTIFIED MAIL
P 433 513 333 received by J. Scanlon on April 19, 1990
P 433 513 333 received by J. Scanlon on April 19, 1990
The Mayor of the City of Chicago
City Hall - Room 507
121 North LaSalle Street
Chicago, Illinois 60602
On behalf of the 9171 Committee and our membership, the undersigned
The 9171 Committee charges that during the summer of 1987, City officials conspired to rig four of eight items in the scoring key with trick responses which were subsequently leaked to favored candidates, ensuring their success.
ExamScam sparked a firestorm of outrage which united over 93% or 607 of the 652 victimized sergeants in an awesome statement of righteous indignation. We proudly note that our numbers include whites (92.7%), blacks (93.6%), Hispanics (96.0%) and Asian-Americans (100.0%), the women (94.1%) edging out the men (93.1%). Special mentions include all four retirees, our most prominent "flunky", Terry Gainer, and all but one of those on leave. We were deeply moved when two critically ill sergeants kicked in their $100 checks from hospital beds: Bill Jones has since recovered while Richard Walton succumbed to terminal cancer six days later. Indeed, ExamScam had struck a raw nerve.
If current indications are correct, no known violation of state or federal law has occurred. What remains is an ethical issue not unlike the infamous promotion scandal which erupted within the Atlanta Police Department in 1977. Add the unprecedented treachery of a rigged scoring key and the enormity of ExamScam becomes apparent. Your administration has inherited what has all the earmarks of the worst police promotion scandal in U.S. history!
The paper trail is as damning as it is irretrievable. Comprehensive statistical analyses of raw data have produced four specific exhibits of documented evidence which support our charge. Graphs, computer printouts and other pertinent data have been enclosed for your scrutiny. A synopsis of the four exhibits follows:
¶ A CHICANERY CONFIRMED. An analysis of the 18,744 ratings of item responses includes incontrovertible documentation that Items #2, #5, #6 and #7 "stumped" our membership base at a rate of 85% while those promoted to lieutenant had a difficulty rate of only 10%. Since all candidates were provided with the oral board questions months beforehand, a response pattern similar to that of Items #4 and #8 (97.4% correct) was to be expected for all items until the sleaze factor took control.◄¶
¶ B HIDDEN AGENDA. The City maintained that an oral board weighted at an incredible 80% was necessary to reflect the candidate pool (72% white, 24% black and 4% Hispanic) through the top 200. The City came within ± 1 of their professed goal. Using identical scores, a 34% oral precisely reflects the candidate pool. However, 40% of the 116 promoted lieutenants would still be sergeants due to their mediocre showing in the short answer essay component.◄¶
The last two exhibits are based on direct and valid comparisons between the official City list and a standard known as the X-list. The X-list is a statistically sound rank-order list which fairly measures the relative excellence of all candidates in the two objective components of the exam. Conventional methods were used to resolve ties and adjust for race.
¶ C THE GATES PARADOX. Minority membership levels and a direct comparison between the City list and the X-list contradict the City's pretextual commitment to the principles of affirmative action and compliance with Title VII. The fact is that both the success and failure rates for the most deserving minorities were 20% worse than that of their white counterparts. Nowhere is this hypocrisy more strikingly evident than in the case of William L. Gates, a black sergeant. After months of diligent study, Sgt. Gates achieved perfect scores in the two objective components of the exam. However, in a ten-minute oral board, he "bombed" on all four trick items and became one of 452 "failures".◄¶
¶ D THE ADMINISTRATIVE CLUSTER. An analysis of a clearly-defined statistical aggregate of all administrative sergeants serving in "administration" units on April 16, 1987 provides overwhelming proof of fraud. Among these 36 sergeants, random chance would place 10 to 11 in the top 250. A bright group, the X-list places 20 in the top 250. The City claims an incredible thirty-four (34 of 36) successes. Even with their demonstrated skills considered, cold mathematical precision sets the likelihood of such success at less than one chance in 13.8 trillion (13,800,000,000,000)!Based on $4 ticket purchases, you would have a better shot at winning the Lotto jackpot twice! ◄¶
All raw data and statistical exhibits have been reviewed by one of the nation's foremost experts in demographics, Dr. Pierre deVisé, an acknowledged statistical expert. In addition, experts in psychometrics provided assistance. Describing the oral board as "inherently absurd", Dr. deVisé stated "It goes beyond mere incompetence. It indicates deliberation and planning. There is no logical explanation for this other than rigging. It had to be rigged." [emphasis added]
s/John Northen
(Sgt.) John Northen
9171 Committee
Enclosures
EXAMSCAM EPILOGUE
The COVER-UP of EXAMSCAM is ongoing to this day. After the letter was received by then Mayor Richard M. Daley, he eventually "cherry-picked" a "blue ribbon panel" of "outsiders" to "investigate". Before convening, each panel member received a certified mail VHS copy of a televised Channel 5 ExamScam exposé and the above letter to Mayor Daley. Ergo, "plausible deniability" is not an option for "da Mare's kangaroos". They later came to Chicago to hold hearings. Among those that testified were "successful" ("it's all legit") newly promoted lieutenants. The City Corporation Counsel Susan S. Sher refused to allow Sgt. Northen to appear before the "blue ribbon panel" with the "smoking gun" incontrovertible evidence of the worst police promotion scandal in U.S. history. Two years later, Daley's "blue ribbon panel" quietly concluded that there was no evidence of fraud.
In 1989, Terry Brunner and the Better Government Association (BGA) and WMAQ-TV Channel 5 "Unit 5" investigative reporter Peter Karl aired a four-part series exposing ExamScam.
"EXAMSCAM - The Movie" is now available for viewing on YouTube: ► www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dzT1MQhoDc◄ At that time, Mr. Karl was regarded by the victim sergeants as our "knight in shining armor". However, when Sgt. Northen attempted to contact Mr. Karl after Ms. Sher denied him access to the "blue ribbon panel", Mr. Karl did not return his calls. "Judas" Karl had since contracted with the City of Chicago to produce public relations programing ("CrimeWatch") for the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) for a mere $815,490.00 fee, confidentiality agreement included. "Judas" abandoned whistleblower Northen to "twist slowly, slowly in the wind" at the merciless hands of the City of Chicago and vindictive Superintendent LeRoy Martin, et al.
Sgt. Northen also schlepped a load of cardboard boxes containing the damning evidence down to the Tribune Tower to allow then Chicago Tribune editor James P. Gallagher and his staff to examine and publicly expose the ExamScam scandal. Mr. Gallagher also met with a white, black and Hispanic sergeant as well as Sgt. Northen. The Tribune did absolutely nothing. After several weeks, Northen returned and picked up the boxes of evidence which currently remain in a secure storage location. Meanwhile, expressing no interest whatsoever, the Chicago Sun-Times ignored the scandal.
A score of unnamed newly promoted lieutenants, most actually worthy of promotion based on the X-list, confided in Sgt. Northen that the "oral board" had indeed been rigged and that they were tipped to the shibboleth "notify the watch commander" beforehand. Only 35 (30%) of the 116 sergeants promoted to lieutenant in the first two waves could justify their promotions by their high scores on the X-list. The remaining 81 promotions (70%) were given to "clout babies" who displaced worthy candidates. The fact is that the overwhelming majority of these promotions were based on the fraud that the City of Chicago now calls "MERIT" promotions.
In a federal corruption probe known as "Operation Phocus", the Office of the then U.S. Attorney Anton R. Valukas was investigating corruption within the CPD liquor license section. A redacted photocopy of an FBI form FD-302 was circulating throughout the CPD. FBI Special Agent Daniel Berger therein documented his interview with Robert Purtill, a former liquor license sergeant. The new lieutenant admitted that in a quid pro quo, he had made a substantial cash "campaign contribution" to then 7th Ward Alderman William Beavers. He was subsequently promoted to lieutenant from rank position #98 on the City's ExamScam list despite his abysmal showing on the X-list. Purtill also told the FBI that earlier, he had bribed then 24th Ward Alderman William Henry for his promotion to sergeant. Henry was later implicated in "Operation Silver Shovel". In a certified (P 908 386 757) letter to Mr. Valukas on behalf of the 9171 Committee, Sgt. Northen requested federal intervention into ExamScam. U.S. Attorney Valukas never responded to Sgt. Northen's complaint. Mr. Valukas is currently the chairman of the law firm of Jenner & Block. He was recently contacted via eMail for a credible explanation for failing to take action. Once again, Mr. Valukas has yet to respond.
Former CPD Supt. LeRoy Martin, "The Father of ExamScam", passed away on August 31st. According to other exempt "raters" interviewed, Sgt. Northen learned that it was then Area 4 Deputy Chief Martin who conceived of "notify the watch commander" as the clandestine response to at least two of the four trick items. A week before Mayor Harold Washington's sudden death, he appointed Martin as the CPD superintendent. Like Acting Mayor Eugene Sawyer before him, Daley inherited ExamScam. During a handshake upon Mayor Sawyer's arrival for an evening meeting at a home in the 25th District, on-duty Sgt. Northen passed a note to the mayor alerting him to the scandal. In a backpage blurb in the next newspaper cycle, Alderman William Beavers, then chairman of the Committee on Police and Fire, declared that he was going to look into the controversy, a classic case of "the fox guarding the chicken coop". Likewise, Sgt. Northen passed a note to Maggie Daley who was campaigning for her husband at a banquet hall at 5600 W. Fullerton Ave. Sgt. Northen had only one personal conversation with Martin which occurred at the 25th District station. Superintendent Martin told Sgt. Northen that there is no room in the Chicago Police Department for "free spirits".
Only one cosmetic change has occurred since: Instead of rigging the process for their clouted favorites, the City now refers to their current process as "MERIT" promotions in which once again, clouted high-ranking CPD officials perpetuate CLOUT by secretly selecting promotees. Criteria for "MERIT" remains undefined with no accountability, transparency or integrity. Rather than bastardize the Merriam-Webster definition of the word "merit", current promotional criteria could be euphemistically described as "arbitrary management discretion" aka CLOUT!
Don't hold your breath waiting for the complicit local mainstream news media, which has degenerated into the propaganda wing of City Hall, to inform taxpayers of the dirty little secrets of Chicago's institutionalized Democratic Machine. It ain't gonna happen. In the sleaziest traditions of "the Chicago Way", the COVER-UP of EXAMSCAM continues unabated. No small credit goes to our "vigilant watchdogs"—the local mainstream print media. Pravda!
Based on pretextual and relentless retaliation against this whistleblower by the City of Chicago and pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1983, I filed a lawsuit [see 126 F.3d 1024: John W. Northen v. City of Chicago, et al.] for repeated violations of my First Amendment rights. I initially retained former CPD superintendent Richard Joseph Brzeczek as my attorney. Foolishly, I trusted him. My bad. Based on my own personal experiences with that treacherous scoundrel, I would never recommend that he be hired to even do a real estate closing on an outhouse. He either deliberately sabotaged a large portion of my case by allowing the statute of limitations to expire or he is the dumbest person to ever pass a bar exam. I'm certain that Brzeczek would gladly admit to the latter for fear of disbarment. I fired him, retained outstanding trustworthy counsel and ultimately settled with the City of Chicago.
My sole objective is to bring about meaningful and desperately needed reforms to the CPD by educating Chicago taxpayers as well as current active and prospective CPD members that without any doubt whatsoever and the (Michael) Shakman Decree notwithstanding, they are residing in the most politically corrupt major city in the nation. Insidious political patronage is metastasizing, even flourishing. Chicago's official motto is "Urbs in Horto" ("City in a Garden"). To quote the late legendary Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko, reality cries out that this Latin motto be changed to "Ubi Est Mea" ("Where's Mine?").
Shame? Fuggedaboudit! Among machine Democrats and their clouted patrons, some actually take a perverse pride in Chicago's ignominious international reputation for a culture of deeply entrenched political corruption. Like many other officers, I take great personal pride in my accomplishments and professionalism as a member of a most noble of callings: Chicago's Finest. I'll be damned if I will stand by and allow corrupt politicians to make the CPD a demoralizing haven for inept hack "leaders" and sycophants who wouldn't know a felon if he bit them in the buttocks. I can honestly say that hunting down bad guys was the most fun I could have with my clothes on. Is it any wonder why Chicago politics is the laughingstock of late night television comedians and Saturday Night Live? It's "the Chicago Way".
posted by John Northen at 5:00 PM
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