Police union gives
its nod to Nutter

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

In many ways, Bob Eddis wanted to endorse Michael Nutter in the Democratic mayoral primary.
Eddis, the outgoing president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, has been friends with the former city councilman for more than 15 years.
In the May 15 primary, though, the FOP backed U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, the party chairman and a former carpenter.
In the end, Nutter won the primary and Brady finished a distant third. The next day, Nutter called Eddis, and a short courtship began.
The Democratic nominee attended the Police Survivors Benefit that weekend at Finnigan’s Wake, then came to a general FOP membership meeting on June 12. On June 26, he spoke to the board of directors, which voted to endorse him.
"We believe he is the candidate who will lead our city in the best way possible," Eddis said. "His public safety initiatives in Philadelphia will improve the quality of life for every citizen. With Mr. Nutter’s nomination as the Democratic candidate for mayor, we have all won as a community."
Eddis, a Parkwood resident who will be running for FOP recording secretary in the Oct. 2 election, announced the endorsement at a June 27 news conference outside union headquarters at 1336 Spring Garden St. Afterward, Nutter spoke to a few hundred police officers who were attending a seminar as they prepared to retire.
In backing Nutter, the FOP is choosing the prohibitive favorite in the Nov. 6 election. Republican mayoral candidate Al Taubenberger will not be able to match Nutter’s campaign bank account, and Democrats hold a 5-to-1 voter registration advantage.
Nutter is happy to have the backing of police officers, even after being spurned the first time.
"To have them put their faith in me is humbling, and if elected, I will work with them to reduce crime and provide the tools needed to protect our neighborhoods," he said.
Taubenberger said he would have liked the opportunity to present his case to the police union, but Eddis explained that he waits for candidates to contact him. The Republican made no such contact.
"We don’t go fishing. They reach out to us," the union leader said.
When Brady received the FOP nod, his campaign and the police union bragged that thousands of officers and their family members would switch from the Republican Party to vote for him in the primary. That never happened.
Taubenberger expects to get a large share of the rank-and-file police vote.
"A lot of people are very independent-minded," he said.
Nutter said violent crime was "out of control" in Philadelphia. He fears a "summer of slaughter" in the city.
The Democrat, who resigned from Council last year to join the mayoral race, said he has not talked to any possible choices for police commissioner to replace the retiring Sylvester Johnson.
"I’m trying to get a job myself," he said, promising only to hire a "top-flight" commissioner.
Nutter said that public safety is the top issue in the city. Once the problem is addressed, the city will be able to better market itself and turn greater attention to issues such as education, economic opportunity, taxes, arts and culture, parks and government ethics.
Describing Philadelphia as "much too dangerous," he wants more after-school activities and programs at recreation centers. He favors hiring more police, installing additional surveillance cameras in public places, passing a state law to allow Philadelphia to set its own gun laws and encouraging officers to employ so-called "stop and frisk" methods to seize illegal firearms. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com