Statement of FOP National President Chuck Canterbury on the Arrest of Teamster Operative in Tennessee 07/16/2007

I am greatly disturbed and angered by the news that an organizing operative for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, former police Lieutenant Calvin Hullett, successfully infiltrated and placed high tech surveillance equipment at the Youth Camp operated by Andrew Jackson Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5 in Tennessee. He recorded more than eighty (80) hours of material from spying gear installed in and around one of the children's cabins.

Fortunately, Hullett was apprehended and charged with burglary while trying to move some of this equipment, which is assumed to have been placed there in an effort to gather information to be used against the FOP in its efforts to be reinstated as the bargaining unit for the officers of the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department. It is my understanding that more charges may be pending and that investigators are reviewing the footage he recorded. It is my hope and the intention of the FOP to ensure that his actions and the eighty (80) hours he recorded with his spy gear is not used in any way to harm or otherwise endanger the children that attended the camp.

The purpose of the camp was to build relationships between youth and law enforcement officers and to instill in these kids a sense of trust and confidence in the men and women of law enforcement. Hullett has sullied that effort. Today, these kids find out what lengths a spiteful cop, who was once charged with enforcing the law, will go to in order to "get something" on the FOP in order to use it for political purposes. This reprehensible behavior for any person. But for a former officer, it is completely repugnant to me, to the members of the Fraternal Order of Police and, I hope, to his former colleagues on the force, even though Hullett is a Teamsters employee and these officers are currently represented by the Teamsters. Union solidarity cannot, must not extend to excusing or concealing criminal activity.

If any member of the FOP were ever found to be engaging in such despicable activity, I would move to revoke their membership and would urge any FOP members with knowledge of such activity to come forward and share it with police. I do not want anyone who would consider taking such actions to be a part of our organization, much less be engaged in recruitment or organizing efforts on our behalf.

Whatever Hullett's motivation, one thing is clear. His actions recklessly endangered the fifty (50) year tradition of the FOP Youth Camp. It is my hope that the victims of these crimes will see justice prevail in this case.