Editor's note: A previous version of this story said the Chicago Police Superintendent supported police officers turning down Labor Day weekend overtime. While the superintendent said he supports officers being with their families, he said he does think they should take overtime opportunities.
Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Tuesday he does not support the recent encouragement from the Fraternal Order of Police that officers turn down overtime shifts during this year's Labor Day weekend.
"I do endorse officers spending time with their families," Johnson said. "Our responsibility and our oath is to back each other up out there. We are here to serve and protect."
Officers have earned the time off and deserve to spend the weekend with their families, FOP President Dean Angelo said in a flier circulated by the police union. But the move is also meant "to show unity and to protest the continued disrespect of Chicago Police Officers and the killings of law enforcement officers across our country," Angelo said.
Johnson said there has been an uptick in disrespect toward officers and that he does not feel officers get much support.
“This is a time when very few people have come out and supported police officers," Angelo said in the flier. "Very few people have spoken out against the murderous attacks or non-stop, anti-police rhetoric. No one is taking into account the spouses and children of police officers and the heightened concern they have for what their loved ones do every day."
The announcement from the FOP comes after police officials touted a plan last month to have more police officers patrolling in areas like beaches, Navy Pier, McCormick Place, CTA stations and parks throughout the summer months, when city violence is typically at its highest.
During this year’s Fourth of July holiday, around 5,000 officers were patrolling the city. There were fewer shootings over the holiday weekend than the previous year. In 2015, 10 people were killed and 63 were wounded. This year, there were four people killed and 62 wounded.
The union flier requesting “non-mandatory” overtime to be rejected could be declared mandatory by Johnson if a number of officers decline the work.
“Every single officer who serves our city on holiday weekends plays a valued and important role in keeping Chicago safe,” said Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. “We do not expect any disruption in operations for Labor Day weekend.”
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Johnson said he did not expect any "operational disruption" Labor Day weekend.
"I'll be out there with them," he said Tuesday.
