The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #69 (FOP), the union representing current and retired Cincinnati Police officers, has a new president.
Officer Ken Kober, 42, won the race with 478 votes, while sergeant Deon Mack, 48, received 91 votes, according to the FOP.
“Tonight I had the privilege of being elected as Fraternal Order of Police Queen City Lodge #69’s next president,” Kober told CityBeat following the win. “I look forward to leading a group of dedicated men and women who tirelessly serve the citizens of Cincinnati.”
Mack did not respond to CityBeat‘s request for a statement by press time.
Kober has served on the executive board of the FOP since 2009, but he’s been in CPD since he graduated from Harrison High School in 1999. His experience ranges from patrolling District 5 to working a canine for the Fugitive Apprehension Squad.
During a recent sit-down interview with CityBeat, Kober addressed the prospect of leading the union after eight years of the controversial and outspoken Dan Hils, who used his platform to rail against city leaders, the Black Lives Matter movement, the COVID vaccine and more.
“You have to be mindful of the fact that whatever you say, you are representing the FOP and every member,” Kober told CityBeat. “And that includes members that are conservative, members that are not conservative, that are more liberal. You represent everybody.”
Read more about Kober’s vision for the FOP here:
Related
Forging Connections: Officer Ken Kober Discusses His Vision for the Cincinnati Police Department’s Union
Deon Mack’s historic run
Mack’s steep defeat comes after his second run for the seat. A victory would have made Mack the first Black president in Cincinnati FOP history and the third Black FOP president in the country.
In a city where around 40% of the population is Black, only about 27% of CPD officers are Black. In a recent interview with CityBeat, Mack discussed the need for a CPD “rebrand” to remedy the department’s dwindling recruitment numbers.
“We must rebrand ourselves. Law enforcement, by and large, has to go through a rebrand, you know? We are seeking qualified individuals, and to do that, we must look in a couple of different directions,” Mack said in a previous interview.
Read more about Mack and his vision for Cincinnati law enforcement here:
Related
Breaking Barriers: Sergeant Deon Mack Discusses His Vision for the Cincinnati Police Department’s Union
The city will need to renegotiate an agreement with the FOP before their contract expires in April. Kober told CityBeat that pay is top of mind for officers.
“We have a contract that’s going to expire at the end of April. So, if I get elected, we’re immediately going to set a wage team or we’re going to start negotiating with the city. They know that there’s a problem. There’s a problem with getting people, there’s a problem with keeping people.”
Follow CityBeat’s staff news writer Madeline Fening on Twitter and Instagram.
Subscribe to CityBeat newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
Related Stories
Forging Connections: Officer Ken Kober Discusses His Vision for the Cincinnati Police Department’s Union
Breaking Barriers: Sergeant Deon Mack Discusses His Vision for the Cincinnati Police Department’s Union
Cincinnati Officer Accused of Using Police Database to Access Woman’s Phone Number
This article appears in Dec 13-26, 2023.