Survey of cops says ... public doesn't understand risks they face

We've heard a lot over the past few years about what we citizens think about our law enforcement officers.

But what do they think about us?

Pew Research Center this year published a fascinating study chronicling the attitudes and experiences of nearly 8,000 officers from across the country.

Among the findings: 93 percent are more concerned about their safety these days, 86 percent believe the public doesn't understand the risks their work entails, and nearly as many officers (51 percent) feel regularly frustrated by their jobs as feel proud (58 percent) of them.

And while 79 percent of officers said they'd been thanked for their service in the month before the survey, 67 percent said they'd been verbally abused.

<h3 class="leadin">'Not a surprise'

That's what Chris Southwood, president of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, told us Thursday about the report's findings. Intense scrutiny and quick judgments of police officers' actions, even at the highest levels of government, have left many on the Thin Blue Line feeling frustrated.

"It's very reflective of what officers across the nation feel," said Southwood, an Illinois State Police trooper for nearly 27 years. "A lot of police officers feel they're being scrutinized by groups or judged by groups that don't really understand what we go through."

Southwood said "I wish I had the answer" for making it better, but he suggested it could start with fewer people rushing to judgment when an officer is accused of using force unnecessarily.

We hope to tell you more about the study's findings in the coming weeks and months. If you want to read ahead, check out the full 97-page report at assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/01/06171402/Police-Report_FINAL_web.pdf.

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Greylord revisited

It was one of the starkest examples of Cook County's notorious corruption, and a shining moment for those dedicated to rooting out graft and fraud from our public institutions.

And next week, a key figure in the "Operation Greylord" probe will tell all about it in an event hosted by Aurora Navy League Council 247.

Retired FBI agent and prosecutor Terry Hake will recall his experiences going undercover between 1980 and 1983 to help expose instances of verdicts for sale, bribery, money laundering and other systemic corruption in the Cook County court system.

The investigation ultimately led to 93 indictments of judges, lawyers, sheriff's deputies, police officers, court clerks and others. Most - including 15 judges - were convicted.

Hake, whose book "Operation Greylord: The True Story of an Untrained Undercover Agent and America's Biggest Corruption Bust" was published in 2015, will speak at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Grandma's Table Restaurant, 1700 Douglas Road in Montgomery. The public is invited, but there's a $20 charge that includes dinner. Call (630) 816-7612 for more information.

<h3 class="leadin">More on Greylord

A film about the scandal and Hake's role in putting an end to the corruption has been greenlighted, according to Deadline.com.

Adam McKay, the Oscar-winning director and writer of "The Big Short" and the "Anchorman" movies, is set to produce "Crook County." Slated to star as Hake is Emory Cohen, whose credits include the film "Brooklyn" and Netflix series "The OA."

The movie doesn't yet have a release date.

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Clean slate for young offenders

Suburban lawmaker Elaine Nekritz and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle are teaming up with others to make it easier for young people with checkered pasts to get back on the straight and narrow.

Nekritz has introduced legislation in Springfield called the Youth Opportunity and Fairness Act to combat unlawful and broad sharing of juvenile records.

Backers say easy access to juvenile arrest records places obstacles in the way of formerly troubled youths trying to lead productive lives, increasing the likelihood they return to crime.

The bill would automatically expunge records of juvenile arrests that do not result in charges. For cases that result in findings of delinquency, it expunges records two years after the case is closed - but only if the juvenile does not commit another crime during that period.

It also makes the unlawful sharing of juvenile records a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine.

"We need our laws to recognize that youth can make mistakes, sometimes even serious ones, but can turn their lives around and achieve great things," said Nekritz, a Democrat from Northbrook. "By removing this barrier in these cases, we will be sending a strong message that Illinois wants its citizens to strive for better, rather than be held back and left behind."

<h3 class="leadin">Play it safe tonight

For those of us with Irish heritage, or those who just like to pretend one day a year, St. Patrick's Day is cause for celebration. Just ease up on the Guinness and Jameson's if you're driving.

Police from departments across the suburbs - too many to name them all without incurring the wrath of our editors - will be out in force tonight and early Saturday morning looking for drunken drivers and other traffic offenders. Some even will set up roadside safety checks to make sure everyone behind the wheel is sober.

So have a great time, but please, if you're planning to mark the holiday with some green beer or other libations, make sure you have a safe way home.

• Got a tip? Have a question? Please email Charles Keeshan and Susan Sarkauskas at copsandcrime@dailyherald.com, or call our tip line at (847) 427-4483.