Dear COBA Members;

Moments into last night's scheduled General Membership Meeting which was being conducted via the Zoom Video service, the meeting was interrupted by a participant who broadcast inappropriate video images, some pornographic in nature along with audio clips of profanity and racial slurs.

Myself and other COBA Officers attempted to immediately remove the individual(s) from the group only to have the perpetrator re-enter the meeting under different user credentials. It soon became apparent that simply removing the offender was not going to be enough to stop the repulsive conduct from continuing under different user names, and that we would be chasing our tails if we continued to attempt to conduct Union business while this intrusion was going on.

I cannot adequately express how angry the COBA Board of Governors is over this incident on many different levels.

It should also infuriate every COBA Member who simply wanted to engage with their Union and participate in their rightful process of the governance of this organization.

Over the last year, due to COVID restrictions, this Union has engaged in countless numbers of Zoom Virtual Meetings, as have thousands of other Unions and Corporations throughout the country and the world.

Careful consideration is given to ensure that access credentials are limited to those to whom the material pertains to, and to date we have never experienced what occurred last night.

Not only should our members ever be exposed to such vile and disgusting images and language in a professional setting, but this is all the more disturbing because our attendees were home with family members and children within earshot of what was happening.

Speaking on behalf of the entire COBA Board of Governors, I am completely disgusted by lasts night's incident and plan to take immediate action to not only ensure that this never happens again to the best of our ability, but also that we make every effort to identify the perpetrator of this intrusion and take all action available to us to expose them and hold them accountable for their actions.

Not for one minute will we ever allow the business dealings of our organization, in representing professional Law Enforcement Officers to be used as a platform for stupidity or for some morons childish idea of a joke. We will also not sit idly by and allow our members to be subjected to hate filled speech, racist vitriol or disgusting images simply for someones amusement.

As such, COBA is launching a full investigation into this incident, seeking the assistance of our cousins in the Police Dept and possibly other Law Enforcement organizations due to the nature of this electronic online assault to hopefully identify the perpetrator and hold them accountable.

I sincerely apologize to every COBA member who took the time to join the meeting last night, as well as their families if they were exposed to this nonsense.

Always In Unity;

Brian Sullivan, COBA President