CPD Officer Karol Chwiesiuk was charged in June with two misdemeanors after breaching the Capitol and the office of Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley. Prosecutors said in charging documents that Chwiesiuk used the N-word when bragging to a friend about his actions at the Capitol that day, saying, “n—a don’t snitch.” He hasn’t yet entered a plea to the charges.
He wasn’t accused of violent crimes, so he was released by a judge and ordered not to have any guns in the home and to give up the firearm owner ID card that is required under Illinois law. But in new court filings, Chwiesiuk asked for permission to retake possession of the ID card, because he says he needs it to keep his job, even though he was moved to desk duty and doesn’t carry a gun.
The vice president for the Chicago chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police union sent a letter to court officials saying that the union will try to block Chwiesiuk’s possible firing and will “start the grievance process to get Officer Chwiesiuk into a pay-status” if he gets back his firearm ID card.
In contrast:
Officers Who Testified at 1/6 Hearing Call for Police Union to Publicly Denounce Insurrection
Last week DC Officer Michael Fanone, who testified at the House Select Committee, said that the Fraternal Order of Police has not contacted him since the riot took place.
Six months later Fanone contacted the union.
“I’ll be honest with you, I wasn’t particularly impressed with that conversation,” Fanone said, recalling how the FOP president sidestepped several of his requests and would not commit to publicly denouncing those who have attempted to whitewash the violence of January 6, including former President Donald Trump who previously described the attack as a “love fest” between rioters and law enforcement.
Fanone says he also asked the FOP president to publicly denounce Republicans who voted against awarding Capitol Police officers with medals commemorating their heroism on January 6 and any active duty or retired law enforcement officer that participated in the insurrection.
Fanone said he didn’t get any commitment from the union to do anything.
Officers Harry Dunn and Sgt. Aquilino Gonell agreed with Fanone that national police organizations were unsupportive.
“We are very disappointed that the national FOP and local DC union has not strongly condemned the January 6th insurrection and unquestionably issued its full support for all the officers involved,” Mark Zaid, an attorney who represents both Dunn and Gonell said in a statement to CNN on their behalf. “There should be nothing to debate on these points. You either stand with the officers or you stand with the terrorists.”
