After it was revealed that he fired 16 shots at Laquan McDonald, killing him, Jason Van Dyke has had trouble holding a job. Since being stripped of his title by the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Tribune reports that his wife even had to shut down her business due to threats. Now it appears that the Fraternal Order of Police has stepped in on what appears to be an effort to protect one of their own.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, FOP president, Dean Angelo, confirmed that they’ve hired Van Dyke to work as a janitor for their West Loop location. Angelo claims the idea came to him after the newspaper called him to ask if Van Dyke was employed by the police union. Van Dyke is reportedly making $12 an hour to fill in as needed around the property. 

“He might be on the roof, he might be in the office, he does anything we need,” Angelo said, confirming Van Dyke’s status as a newly hired jack-of-all-trades.

Father Michael Pfleger took to Facebook to publicly criticize the decision. He, and many other Chicago residents, feel that the police union has essentially said that they’re going to place their duty to protect one another over maintaining a healthy relationship with the people. This completely contradicts the message Mayor Rahm Emanuel was trying to make when he recently named Eddie Johnson as interim CPD superintendent.

“The Police Union says to Chicago we don’t give a Damn what he did or what you think he is one of ours, and we are going to take care of him . . . ” said Pfleger.

Protests took place within the city on Thursday after the news broke with many citizens questioning where CPD’s true intentions lie between the public and maintaining their own sense of loyalty to each other.

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