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Saturday, January 10, 2009 10:01:10 PM
Happy new year to all you our brothers and sisters of Fraternal Lodge #98...
I wish you and your family a safe and happy new year.
We are ALL celebrating an anniversary on January 6th. HOUSTON METRO FOP LODGE#98,
FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE was chartered by the Grand Lodge and the Texas State Lodge
of the Fraternal Order of Police on January 6th, 2008.
What a year of growth!
It isn't easy being all things to all people.....
Every organization has its detractors, just as it has its movers and shakers....
HOUSTON METRO FOP LODGE#98 (and its board) since its very short inception in
2008, has and will continue to work for the good of the order. Hopefully working in
a united way against common challenges affecting our profession, and our members as
a whole at this department.
This lodge #98 currently has many challenges to face in establishing it as a viable
and structured organization as we move forward. As you may recall, this lodge was
quickly created as the ashes of the previous METRO Police union were still warm. Not
as a continuation of the previous union, but a totally new organization with new
direction.
A few officers’ stepped forward and moved quickly and attempted to save (for the
best interests of the officers of this department), establishing legal
representation and continued supplemental health insurance for the officers wishing
to take part. (See President Robert Lazono's recent year end review letter).
In a very short time an open meeting for any and all officers of the METRO Police
Department to attend was held. During that meeting an offer was made for us to join
the already established Fraternal Order of Police A vote of the officers present at
that meeting passed and we became apart of the family of FOP lodges. You have since
showed your support by putting forth your membership dues and establishing yourself
as a member of this lodge.
Things had to move quickly after that and the full structure of this lodge had to be
established and put into motion. Since that time, this Lodge 98 has grown and is
continuing to gain strength in number of members. The lodge has also looked at new
ways to confront the ill's that may affect us in our profession, locally and
throughout the vast complex family of lodges affiliated with the FOP.
A recent email from a now self excommunicated member of the lodge was sent out to a
number of members. In this email he voiced that some areas of the lodge activities
may have been in question during the time that he himself sat on the board as an
executive board member of the lodge.
For those of you as members of the lodge who have not taken part of the process of
the FOP membership and/or may not be aware, we have open general meeting to discuss
all the activities of the lodge. These meeting use to be called into existence when
it seemed to work out best for any and all the board members. However, that process
was changed some months back.
A good issue was raised by a lone member attending one of those general open
meetings. He suggested that we establish the general meetings to be held on a set
night and at the same time every month, to keep the questions of who, what’s and
where's to a minimum.
Since that suggestion was made, which then went to a vote and passed without
question. Lodge #98 has held open general meetings for all lodge members to attend
on the third Sunday of every month at 7pm.
I have said it in the past and will continue to say it, This lodge is a voluntary
organization that is made up from officers just like you. Take part of the process
and at the very least attend the general meetings. Come on out, see and feel the
process in action. This lodge can only be as active as its members wish it to be
with their voices being heard during those sessions.
As I said all organization, social groups, church's, families, companies etc... have
its own internal detractors, as well as its vast external detractors. As stated
earlier, it is not easy being all things to all people. This Lodge can not spend
its time working on the day to day arguments and disorder of every single officer as
a stepping stone for every officer’s grievance process. It has been heard many
times in the past as soon as an officer has a problem at the office, "What is the
union going to do about it?"
Well, does the complaint affect the department as a whole? Or does it just have
some small ripple effects on that officer? The department has a grievance process
established, and the lodge has made available for officers wishing to utilize it,
legal representation.
We can not (as has been the process of the past and previous unions) get involved in
every personal attack for every officer. We suggest you use the tools that are
available to you. The lodge will continue to work for the betterment of the
department as a whole and at the will of the voting members.
I briefly mentioned the previous police union. A lot of frustration and possible ill
will was placed on and against METRO Police Officer Robert Harrington during that
whole uncomfortable mess. Robert Harrington is not a member of this Fraternal
Order, but he is a brother in blue and a member of our department.
Robert Harrington was at the very least (despite what your final feelings are on the
subject) in the long run, he was attempting to keep an idea and platform of security
available to the members of that previous union. When it was all said and done,
it cost him time, money and in some circles his reputation.
If any one thing could be said about that event, it was that there was large number
of officers who claimed membership, but put forth very little to no effort to be
apart of that union.
In this last year, this HOUSTON METRO FOP LODGE#98 has helped motivate members with
a weight loss challenge. It has helped get money from the state lodge to help out a
member who was in need of financial reimbursement after IKE. This due to damage his
home and family incurred during the storm. This Lodge 98, also made available
emergency supplies for all members wishing to partake of the supplies after the
Hurricane. These supplies were hand delivered to us by other lodges in the state of
Texas not affected by the Hurricane. It’s nice to be apart of a fully functional
family of united lodges. This lodge 98 also during the Thanksgivings week, delivered
Turkeys to four area schools to be given to the neediest families as identified by
the school administrators.
So a big thank you goes out to you the members of HOUSTON METRO FOP LODGE#98 for
your generosity in helping lift up each other and the community we serve. A special
thank you goes to the few members and non member volunteer who stepped forward to
help in delivering those turkeys. Also special thanks to all who helped out with the
other activities that were held this past year (this past summer BBQ comes to mind).
We can always use the volunteers to make the process work even better. Fresh faces
bring about fresh ideas.
As I stated earlier detractors will always attempt to bring about confusion and
disorder for any organization. They will always be around attempting influence the
will of many in-orders to get their own interests and issues addressed first.
Change is a slow process and does not come without making enemies of some,
while making new friends of others. Building a rapore with others outside our own
office doors will not hurt us. New friendships will only help make us stronger. It
will only benefit us in the long run by getting our lodge name out in the public
eye. By having organizations, companies and general public come to know and respect
the work we do not only as officers, but more importantly as a lodge of unified
brothers and sisters, this connection with others will hopefully open new doors of
awareness and opportunity for us in the long run.
With all of that being said, I wish to take a final few moments to again personally
thank HOUSTON METRO FOP LODGE#98 President Robert Lozano for his tireless efforts to
bring about this new organization.
Robert has basically been the forefather in establishing this lodge. He has put
forth his personal time researching, developing and laying down the ground work,
meeting with banks and other lodges, continually attempting to bring about interest
and new members for HOUSTON METRO FOP LODGE#98.
Robert is deserving of our gratitude (from all the members) for his work and his
attempts for the new direction that he has brought about for the betterment of this
lodge and our department.
As president for an organization you are basically the face for every wrong doing of
others and then criticized when things don't go the way everyone wants it to go.
Robert has stayed in the fight despite detractors and many individuals who would
just assume us all be left with nothing and no voice for our side.
Happy Anniversary!
Lets keep moving forward in 2009
Eliot Swainson,
Vice President
HOUSTON METRO FOP LODGE#98 |
