Willow Springs Mike Giorgetti, one of a kindWhen Mike Giorgetti was a police officer, he helpedWillow Springs police officers win their first-ever ICOPscontract in 2003 – not long after they had changed unionsand unanimously voted in ICOPs as their representative.It took less than five months to win the first ICOPs contractfor police in Willow Springs.A few years later after being promoted to sergeant, Mikekept doing good things.For eight years, Mike’s been detailed out by the WillowSprings P.D. to the U.S. Department of Justice, DrugEnforcement Administration. That brings the P.D.money from drug seizures made by Mike and his group,and allows the department to purchase equipment forpolice officers.In 2012, ICOPs negotiated and won a contract for WillowSprings police sergeants. Sergeant Giorgetti told theBulletin regarding the sergeants’ contract that “Nobodyelse would fight for us. ICOPs could have ignored us butdidn’t. It’s nice because we got a contract for the sergeantswithout a fight. And it’s the first time in history thesergeants have ever been in a union. It’s the relationshipICOPs already had with the village that counted.”While on DEA detail, Mike has helped the villageacquire federal grants. Four or five years ago, he obtained$369,000 from FEMA for a Chemical Buffer Zone Grantwhich got the P.D. equipment including two motorizedlighting towers, stabilized binoculars, anti-sniper spottingscopes, and several pairs of regular binoculars.Since last year, Mike’s been working on winning anothergrant called a Federal Port Security Grant from FEMAfor a patrol boat. It’s a lot of work to do this and it takesa long time, he said. He won the first stage approval forthe grant earlier this year and is waiting for the finalapproval. Through this grant, the village would acquire apatrol and response vessel for the I&M Canal, where twochemical companies need to be protected. The vessel willgive police access to unprotected areas of the chemicalcompanies via the canal.Mike does more than straight-up police work, enforcingdrug laws and acquiring FEMA grants. Every year, heraises money for severely handicapped children andparticipates in Toys for Tots.Although he continues to be on DEA detail, Mike saidhe still wants to help Willow Springs P.D. grow with thecommunity. If he can do something to help the departmentand its police officers, he “most certainly will.”Mike’s got about 20 years on the job in Willow Springs.He was the ICOPs chapter president prior to his promotionto sergeant. <strong>Police</strong> <strong>Of</strong>ficer Jerry Jelinek is nowthe police officers’ chapter president.Deerfield good guys... continues from page 1that’s the kind of cops they are: team members – on theforce, in the union and in the community.As a Deerfield police officer, Steve says, “Your dayconsists of helping the community. We mostly deal withidentity theft, accidents, residential burglary and creditcard fraud. We’re community oriented for everything andalways try to help residents.”What did Steve learn from the January 1 incident? “Irealized how precious life is,” he said. “I have a littleboy at home and have learned how important it is to saygoodbye everyday to your family. You can‘t take anythingfor granted.”Andy learned just how much police need to be ready foranything. It didn’t hit him until later how much manpowerit took to save a life. “It’s a good feeling to assist in savingsomeone’s life,” he added, “and it was really nice to seethat we all knew what to do and did it.”<strong>Of</strong> the union, Steve and Andy say ICOPs has been goodfor Deerfield police officers and has improved communicationsin the department. “Better communication IS thekey to making things better,” Andy said.Steve participates in programs to support the SpecialOlympics, such as the Polar Plunge, and other fundraisingefforts including for breast cancer awareness. Steve creditsJuan Mazariegos, ICOPs Deerfield chapter presidentand others in the union with organizing the events andkeeping many Deerfield officers involved.Andy Kupsak grew up in the northwest suburbs. Hisfather, now retired, was chief of police in Lindenhurstand then Vernon Hills. Coming from a police family, hedidn’t always yearn to be a police officer but got seriousabout it after completing his studies at Knox College. In2003, he joined the Deerfield P.D., where he was on theroad two years, then detective two years, then with themetropolitan enforcement group three years, and nowon the 3-to-11 patrol shift.Steve Pettorelli grew up in Highland Park and earned a4-year degree from Western <strong>Illinois</strong> University with amajor in law enforcement and computer science plus aninternship with the Deerfield P.D. After graduating, hebecame a dispatcher and then in 2000 a police officer.Steve had long wanted to be a police officer from thetime he was in high school when he joined a <strong>Police</strong>Explorers group. He admired the uniforms then and isproud to wear a uniform himself today!There you go. Two fellow union members,two team players, two good cops!6 ICOPs | OCTOBER 2012
ICOPs <strong>Police</strong> BulletinICOPsPOLICEBULLETINpublished by .ICOPsILLINOISCOUNCILOFPOLICEFOID registration dangerously flawedThe state’s main way to track firearms owners has allowed peopleto get guns who should not be eligible to have them. That is one ofseveral disquieting conclusions in a report earlier this year by the<strong>Illinois</strong> Auditor General on the <strong>Illinois</strong> Firearm Owners IdentificationCard, or FOID card. “The safety of the general public as a whole is atrisk,” Auditor General William Holland told the Chicago Tribune.The Tribune reported on whether mentally ill residents have FOIDcards. The failure to track mentally ill residents is a problem of thestate courts as well as the <strong>Illinois</strong> State <strong>Police</strong>, which administers theFOID program. Only three of the state’s county circuit court clerksreport mental illness cases to the state police.Norm FreseT.R. SmithSam StrattonJuan MazariegosRichard BrunoPresidentVice-PresidentVice-PresidentSecretary-TreasurerStaff RepresentativeTo read more, please go to:“audits reports” at www.auditor.illinois.gov (04/2012)Legal StaffRichard F. BlassJohn Simpson IVRichard F. Blass & Associates, L.L.C.ICOPs770 N. Church Road • Suite HElmhurst, IL 601261.630.832.6772 telephone1.630.832.6978 fax1.800.832.7501— 24-hourtoll-free numberwww.icops.org — websiteicops@sbcglobal.net — emailCREDITS: Writer and editor, Kathy Devine,Local 34071, CWA;Printed by Sommers & FahrenbachDo you have stories orideas to share?• Is there a healthand safety issure youwant us to researchand keep youinformed about?• Do you know anICOPs member whomyou think fellow union membersshould know about?Email us at icops@sbcglobal.netor call ICOPs editor Kathy Devineat 773.583.6661 or 630.832.6772.ICOPs Legal PlanApplication__________________________________________________________________________Name (PLEASE PRINT)__________________________________________________________________________Home address__________________________________________________________________________City, state, zip code__________________________________________________________________________Email PERSONAL WORK____________________________________ _____________________________________Best telephone to reach youDate of birth____________________________________ ____________________________________Employed byYour title_____________________________________Signature$15 per monthBilled in 6 month intervals__________________________________DateMail completed form to ICOPs at770 N. Church Road, Suite H • Elmhurst, IL 60126Your membership package andauto decals will be mailed to you.FOR IMMEDIATE COVERAGEenclose a check for $90 payable to ICOPs.ILLINOIS COUNCIL OF POLICE1.800.832.7501 toll-free 24 hoursOCTOBER 2012 | ICOPs 7
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