Eddie Simmons, president of the Ethical Society of Police (ESOP), claims that the St. Louis Police Officers’ Association (SLPOA) is involved in political shenanigans in an attempt to become the sole bargaining agent for St. Louis police officers.
Simmons says his organization is in favor of bargaining, but is distrustful of the SLPOA because of its “past and present (racist) history.” Simmons further claims, “The SLPOA was born out of an act of racial retaliation.” That allegation is simply untrue.
The civil unrest in the ‘50s and ‘60s also birthed turmoil within the law-enforcement community. In St. Louis, cops were fed-up with the archaic and often idiotic regulations of their department, as well as the constant interference of politicians. They created the SLPOA and, by that unity, sought the protection and voice of a cohesive group. Black officers stood with white officers in forming the SLPOA.
Subsequent to the forming of the SLPOA, a group of black officers formed the Black Police Officers’ Association. Most of the officers in the black association were members too of the SLPOA. But the black organization refused membership to Dan Creagan, a white police officer. Creagan threatened a lawsuit and was begrudgingly admitted. That organization subsequently morphed into ESOP.
I knew many racist white cops during my tenure with the police department, but I can assure you that no cops I knew were more racist than the core leadership of the black officers association.
Michael K. Broughton
Via email