Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – One law enforcement organization is letting the public know that they are not responsible for the grievance filed on behalf of the deputy who shot Sonya Massey. Chris Southwood is the state lodge president for the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police and released the following statement Monday, clarifying the group is strictly a fraternal organization and another group is responsible.

“That dubious distinction rests with the Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council, which is a completely separate organization with different leadership, a different organizational structure and a different mission. The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge had zero involvement in this grievance and yet we are bearing the brunt of the public outcry and hate communication for that action just because we share a common first name with the FOP Labor Council.”

Southwood said the FOP Labor Council should “step up” and “take ownership of its actions” instead of letting the fraternal organization with more than 34,000 members take the “heat, and the hate, on this matter.” He added, “We urge the public to make that distinction in the future, and we join the public in expressing our condolences to the Massey family.  We share everyone’s shock over this disturbing, horrible tragedy.”

On July 17, the FOP Labor Council filed a grievance with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office stating Grayson was terminated “without just cause” and his employer wrongfully “publicly disseminated details of the investigation and termination on Facebook” before giving “the grievance or his representatives notice of the decision to terminate.”  The union is seeking reinstatement and reimbursement of all lost wages, restoration of benefits, and “any other appropriate relief.”

Of note, Southwood said the FOP Labor Council uses the fraternal order’s name through a marketing agreement with the National Fraternal Order of Police. He said, the agreement has caused concerns in the past, and the organization will once again request the National FOP make changes to the agreement.