Lowest Morale in Police Department I can remember

I have lived in McHenry County almost 35 years and ran a business in Woodstock for almost 25 years. I have been involved in trying to protect the public health of this county for almost 10 years. This means, to me, that I have been "around the block a few times" in this county. I have over the years talked to a lot of people about a lot of things and have been exposed to things people are concerned and are talking about.

Lately one hot topic that people in and outside of the Woodstock Police Department have been privately vocal about is that allegedly this period of time under the current leadership at the police department has evoked one of the lowest periods of morale in the rank and file of the patrol officers. They allegedly are affraid to say anything to anyone lest they are placed in the "crosshairs" of a superior and deamed a "non-team player". So they allegedly remain quiet and not active in reporting things that maybe should be reported; that way they keep their jobs and pensions and don't incurr the wrath of their leadership.

When you pass by the relatively new police station and view the apparent peace and tranquility of its exterior remember that appearances are not always what they seem to be and that what goes on inside may not correlate to the peace and serenity of the outside shell that the building presents to the general public.

Chief of Police of Woodstock ...lives in Carpentersvile...still?

"Carpentersville: Former chief's wife now running for trustee Debra Lowen, wife of former police chief Robert Lowen, who is now chief in Woodstock, is among the eight candidates in the race for three trustee spots on the village board. Other candidates include incumbents Kay Teeter and Linda Ramirez-Sliwinski, Kenneth Andresen, Kent Baldwin, Joseph Haimann, Bradford McFeggan and Patricia Schultz. Trustee Ed Ritter is running for the village president position against incumbent Bill Sarto and local businessman Jim Krenz."
- Mike Danahey
The Courier News

Alleged Falsehoods Told to Woodstock City Council?

A few days ago I was told by a reliable source that the Woodstock City Council was informed sometime ago in April or May by someone in city government or intimately involved in city government that when Sgt. Steve Gorski was told by his spinal surgeon that he could return to a trial of light administrative duties he chose not to return to duties. This is an absolute lie.

Sgt. Gorski telephoned Deputy Chief Neuzil and informed him of the release by his surgeon and was told over the telephone not to even bother to come in because there was nothing like that available for him even though in the past other officers were accommodated in similar fashion.

As you may recall Sgt. Gorski was vindicated of charges filed against him by Chief Lowen by a 3 to 0 decision of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners in February. He still has not been offered a light duty posting and has not been paid in over a year in spite of being found that the evidence did not prove the Chief's complaint. I can only wonder if someone or someones are telling the City Council their allegedly altered side of the story to allegedly cover their hind sides and how they may have allegedly abused and continue to allegedly abuse the system and the truth to their advantage. If these allegations turn out to be true I would wonder if there might be some opening positions in city government and departments?

David W McArdle...Did Not Phone Back?!

Well its been a few weeks since David W. McArdle called for a special meeting of all the attorneys involved with the litigation between the Chief of Police, Robert Lowen and Sgt. Steven R. Gorski of the Woodstock Police Department. Well the meeting occurred with all the city's paid attorneys and the two representing the Sergeant.
All the attorneys had their say if they wanted to say anything and Mr. McArdle said he would get back to the Sergeant's two attorneys as soon as possible with a response to the Sergeant's request. Well guess what...to the best of my knowledge...there has been no response. No response that the Sergeant has heard from either of his two attorneys or Mr. McArdle of Zukowski, Rogers, Flood and McArdle a law firm in Crystal Lake that has been being paid for over a year now by the City of Woodstock's taxpayers money. This is getting to be a really expensive adventure for these tough economic times to expend the tax payers money to infuse into the coffers of a well endowed out of town law firm. I suspect that the city's payments to Zukowski, Rogers, Flood and McArdle will continue until at some point the tax payers, many of whom are out of work, say "end this" ..."enough is enough". The only people who are winning in this scenario are the attorneys. Maybe its time for the taxpayers of Woodstock to have a special meeting with their elected city officials who I presume have been calling the "shots" and "spending their money".

LINE OF DUTY PENSION BENEFITS FOR POLICE OFFICERS

About three weeks ago a telephone conversation between two attorneys representing Sgt. Steven R. Gorski, an employee of the Woodstock Police Department for the last 20 years and Mr. David W. McArdle, a partner in the firm of Zukowski, Rogers, Flood & McArdle, representing the Chief of Police and City of Woodstock took place. It was my understanding that Mr. McArdle wanted to have a meeting of the legal representatives of the Chief of Police, Robert W. Lowen Jr. and the City of Woodstock and the Police Pension Board and those of Sgt. Gorski to see if this litigation on the part of the Police Chief and the City and the Police Pension Board could be resolved in a more amicable and efficient manner. I presume since Mr. McArdle arranged this meeting he self-assumed the role of moderator. This meeting took place in the afternoon of October 8, 2008 in the City Council Chambers.

After about two hours of talking and the usual "posturing" that attorneys are known for, the position of Sgt. Gorski was finalized to the understanding of Mr. McArdle and he said he would get back to Sgt. Gorski's attorneys after discussing this with the City Council as soon as possible. To date, Oct. 18, 2008, Sgt. Gorski's attorneys have not heard a word back from Mr. McArdle; so much for amicability and efficiency.

Also during this meeting one of the attorneys for either Workman's Comp or the Pension Board allegedly said that they were not sure that the injury ever happened during line of duty even though the appropriate form (Form 45) was filed and investigated an verified by a deputy chief of police. According to "Municipal Matters" dated July 2007, Vol. 2, Issue 3, a news letter produced by the firm of Zukowski, Rogers, Flood and McArdle a police officer is entitled to Line of Duty Pension Benefits and I quote:

"Any act of police duty inherently involving a special risk, not ordinarily assumed by a citizen in the ordinary walks of life, imposed on a policeman by the statutes of this State, or by ordinances or police regulations of the city in which this Article is in effect or by special assignment, or by any act of heroism performed in the city having for its direct purpose the saving of the life or property of a person other than the policeman."

Sgt. Gorski was at 3:30 am trying to do what he could for a man who was gravely injured in a single car accident on the side of Route 14 in Woodstock Illinois. The man expired and later it was found that his blood alcohol was in excess of the legal limit. It was at this scene during the course of his assisting in the later investigation that he incurred his injuries. Now that does not sound like an act "ordinarily assumed by a citizen in the ordinary walks of life " to me. How about you?

This gives you just a little feeling of what Sgt. Gorski has been dealing with in connection with the Chief of Police, the City of Woodstock and its hired and well paid attorneys.

To all the citizens of Woodstock Illinois don't forget that your elected officials are allegedly condoning this by setting policy and allowing their subordinates to proceed in this matter as regards Sgt. Gorski. Last but not least it is your tax money being used to pay the legal fees of these attorneys to pursue this course of action. That tax money could be used in a much better way in these troubled times.

Woodstock IL....Continuing Saga of Sgt. Gorski

On February 14, 2008 the Woodstock Illinois Fire and Police Commissioners vindicated Patrol Sergeant Steven R. Gorski, for lack of evidence, of all complaints filed against him by Police Chief, Robert W. Lowen Jr. This followed a 4 1/2 month prosecution by Lowen and his city paid attorney Anne Brophy of the firm of Zukowski, Rogers, Flood & McArdle. After all was said and done by the prosecution, including taking the testimony of a multitude of witnesses the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners returned a unanimous decision in Sgt. Gorski's favor; not one commissioner voted against him. Of even more significance is the fact that not one commissioner asked that any disciplinary action be taken against him.

On February 14, 2008 the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners signed the following official document:

"IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the Charges against the Respondent (Sgt. Gorski) be dismissed. The Board having held that the Charges against the Respondent (Sgt. Gorski) are not sustained, orders that the Respondent (Sgt. Gorski) be reimbursed for any wages withheld as a result of the Respondent's suspension without pay pending the hearing. The Chief of the Police Department and other appropriate corporate authorities are directed to implement this order forthwith."

Well, it is now (8) eight months later and the Chief, Robert Lowen and other appropriate corporate authorities of the City of Woodstock Illinois have not implemented the direct order of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners. From all sensible points of view that sounds like the Chief and appropriate corporate authorities are allegedly guilty of insubordination and not obeying a direct order given to them. Sgt. Gorski still has not seen one penny of the money due him. How many of you could survive and take care of a family on no income?

I would hope and pray that the City Council of the City of Woodstock Illinois would stop this travesty of justice and common sense from continuing by complying with the order and directly dismissing those individuals who were ordered to comply forthwith by the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners and freely choose not to follow the order. The Sgt. should also be paid all money due him per order of the Board.

No one in public service, no mater what rank or level of power and supervision they hold are above the rule of law and those who believe they are need to move on to some other endeavor. I pray that this foolishness ends.

WOODSTOCK ILLINOIS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER...FILLED TO CAPACITY

The chamber was filled to capacity with about a dozen or so citizens standing along the side and back wall. I was only able to attend the first half of the public comments section of the meeting; I suspect another blog will give you a more in debt report (www.woodstockadvocate.com).

Two members of the public voiced their dissatisfaction on the apparent increase in crime and crime related activities in Woodstock and the apparent lack of leadership and transmission of information to the public. One of the speakers, was very displeased with the way the "man with a gun" incident was managed and questioned the alleged quality of the leadership of the Woodstock Police Department. The mayor, Dr. B. Sager stated that the council is aware of the communities concerns and will implement actions that will make sure this, to the best of their abilities, does not happen again. The Police Chief, Robert W. Lowen Jr. was present at the time of the public comments and had no comments.

PEOPLE UPSET WITH CHIEF LOWEN?...TO FILL CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS THIS TUESDAY?

Unofficial word on the street is that the citizens of Woodstock Illinois are allegedly very, very upset with the way things have been handled by the Chief of Police Robert W. Lowen Jr. From what I have heard a number of them will be showing up for the Tuesday meeting of the City Council to voice their complaints of the way public safety and crime matters have been handled over the last several days and I don't think they will be willing to settle for a cup of coffee...even a premium imported blend.
PS: Meeting will be held a 7 PM on this coming Tuesday at the City Hall in the Council Chambers.

POLICE CHIEF ROBERT W LOWEN JR QUERIED BY RESIDENTS OF WOODSTOCK ILLINOIS AND THE PRESS

In a Editorial printed by the Northwest Herald on Sept. 12, 2008 the paper stated that Police Chief Lowen "needs to understand that dealing with the public and releasing information on crime that occurs in Woodstock (Illinois) is an important part of his job." They also stated "Woodstock residents deserve better."
Read the entire Editorial entitled "Information was lacking" on line at NWHerald.com for Sept. 12, 2008

WOODSTOCK ILLINOIS..MAN WITH GUN..HELD ON RAPE CHARGES

In follow-up to my previous article about a "Man With Gun" earlier this week it appears that Tim Kane, a reporter for the Northwest Herald has gotten the "rest of the story".

According to Tim Kane's article the Woodstock Illinois Police Department said: "a homeless man was in custody Thursday after being charged with two counts of sexually assaulting a 26-year old woman in a laundromat last week."

The article by Mr. Kane stated that the alleged offender was identified as Jeffrey A. Cole, 25 years of age. He was charged Wednesday with:

• aggravated sexual assault
• aggravated unlawful restraint
• one count of burglary
• one count of disorderly conduct in relation to his actions with what looked like a handgun in the backyard of a Woodstock residence in the 200 block of Fremont Street

Cole was arrested Wednesday after he was pulled over by police for speeding. They then ascertained he had no insurance and was driving with a suspended license.

He is in jail and needs $30,000 for bond. His next date in for court is next week Wednesday, Sept. 17th.

Good job Mr. Tim Kane for alerting the public...keep up the good work!

WOODSTOCK ILLINOIS..MAN WITH GUN..NO PROBLEM?

Finally some 60 or more citizens of Woodstock Illinois are not only going to "Coffee with the Chief, Robert W. Lowen Jr, Program" on Monday nights just to drink some free coffee and chat with the Chief but according to the Northwest Herald article by Northwest Herald reporter Tim Kane "to vent their frustrations" to him in regards to how a report of a man with a gun report was handled. The report was telephoned into the Woodstock Police Department by a lady in the 200 block of Fremont Street at about 9:15 am last Thursday. The lady went into her yard to fetch some wood from a wood pile and found a man hiding behind it with a handgun in his hand; now how often has that happened to you? The man told the lady that he was going to use the gun for his cat....sure! So what was he going to do...discharge a firearm within the city limits? Some officers were sent out to patrol the area and look for the suspect and when they found someone who matched the description the lady could not identify him for certain. So far so good it appears that they did what they, the police, could up to this point.

From this point on however I question the judgment of whomever made the final decision. Common sense would dictate that most Patrol Sergeants would have contacted a superior, either a Deputy Chief or the Chief and filled him in on the situation. That and armed man has been reported and that the police had not been able to apprehend or find and contain him and that all of this was happening not very far from Dean Street School. As a prudent Sergeant he should have called and let someone who was in a "higher pay grade" make the decision as to whether we notify and secure the Dean Street School and post a patrol officer there for the day just to be on the safe side or walk away and do none of the above.

The principal of the school did not find out about all of this until the following Monday. Some example of community policing and communicating potential threats to the civilian community. Ultimately the Chief is responsible for the Police Department and the buck and responsibility and final decisions should end in his lap.

Thank God nothing happened and maybe the only injury was to that cat....hmmmm. But this could have also turned into a real nightmare.

Coffee with Chief Lowen...an expensive blend!

Well, the chief, the city attorneys and the city of Woodstock managed to stretch it out for another two months....until October 15, 2008...that is 14 months since this began. At that time Judge Maureen McIntyre will have a hearing on this matter. He, that is Sergeant Gorski has been found exonerated of the complaint filed by chief Lowen in Aug. of 2007 to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners by a 3 to 0 decision in February 2008. They,the Board directed the city and the chief to pay him all pay due him with interest as mandated by the State. He will not have been paid in over a year by the time of the hearing. How many of you could stick it out under those kinds of alleged strategic legal financial tactics employed by the alleged triumvirate of chief, city attorneys, and city? Not many I assure you; your pockets and checkbooks would be empty and you would be going down the "you know what". But help was available and is available and Sergeant Gorski will be around a long, long time...in fact as long as it takes to get justice...I assure you of that fact. What goes around, comes around. This has gone beyond process and could be presumed and alleged by some as an alleged vend eta towards the Sergeant.

I hope the tax payers of Woodstock Illinois are keeping track of how many hundreds of thousands of dollars each ounce in that cup of coffee with chief is costing them. I am surprised that not one of them has asked yet.

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE DISABILITY ACT...PEDA & WOODSTOCK ILLINOIS

(5 ILCS 345/0.01) (FROM Ch. 70, par. 90.9)
Sec; 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Public Employee Disability Act.
(Source: P.A. 86-1324.)

(5 ILCS 345/1) (from Ch. 70, par. 91)

Sec. 1. Disability benefit.

(a) For the purposes of this Section, "eligible employee" means any part-time or full-time employee.............and any full-time law enforcement officer..........who is employed (by) any unit of local government.......granted the power to employ persons for such purposes by law.

(b) Whenever an eligible employee suffers any injury in the line of duty which causes him to be unable to perform his duties, he shall continue to be paid by the employing public entity on the same basis as he was paid before the injury, with no deduction from his sick leave credits, compensatory time for overtime accumulations or vacation, or service credits in a public employee pension fund during the time he is unable to perform his duties due to the result of the injury, but not longer than one year in relation to the same injury. .............

(c) At any time during the period for which continuing compensation is required by this Act, the employing public entity may order at the expense of that entity physical or medical examinations of the injured person to determine the degree of disability.

(d) During this period of disability, the injured person shall not be employed in any other manner, with or without monetary compensation. ............

(e) Does not apply in this situation.

(f) Does not apply in this situation.

(g) Pursuant to paragraphs (h) and (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution, this Act specifically denies and limits the exercise by home rule units of any power which is inconsistent herewith, and all existing laws and ordinances which are inconsistent herewith are hereby superseded. ........

(Source: P.A. 88-45; 89-507, eff. 7-1-97. )

As you may or may not know I am an advocate for an individual who has served the City of Woodstock for almost twenty years in a full time capacity in one of the City's Departments. He was injured in the line of duty and it was documented and has since had extensive spinal surgery and will require additional surgery in the near future. How is it that this Public Employee Disability Act has in no positive way aided him in any manner? Not only did it not help him but he was told by the City that he had to use the employee benefits, Family Medical Leave Act and credits he had accrued. This is expressly forbidden in paragraph (b) above.

I would like to know why the Public Employee Disability Act does not apply to this individual who has given 20 years of public service to the City of Woodstock. I would also like to know who made that decision that has dramatically and negatively affected this person's life and family.

The people of Woodstock should want to know why their publicly paid by tax dollars employees are treated in this manner. If I were one of them I would want to know the answers and who was the guiding force of this behavior. To date the injured party has not received one cent under PEDA (Public Employee Disability Act) and it has been over a year.

City Councils...do what?

This city council can initially structure the municipal government. Once that is accomplished and the city is under the manager form, the power of the council is almost entirely legislative. 65 ILCS 5/5-3-6.

The city council retains ability to control by the power to approve or not approve all municipal expenses and liabilities. 65 ILCS 5/5-3-6. The manager's projects are subject to the council's power over the purse. The council can also abolish offices. 65 ILCS 5/5-3-8.

The final power the council has is that it can fire the manager from office. He/she can be removed at any time by a majority vote of the members of the council. 65 ILCS 5/5-3-7. A wise manager knows how many votes he needs to stay hired.

Timothy J Clifton City Manager Woodstock IL

The City Manager's authority is stated in section 5/5-3-7 of the Illinois Municipal Code. What he may and may not do in relation to the mayor and council and the administration of the city government is stated in the above section.

1. Enforcing laws and ordinance. 65 ILCS 5/5-3-7(1). He is responsible for the efficient enforcement of nuisance, traffic and regulatory ordinances through the police department; for enforcing building codes through the building department and enforcing zoning and land use regulations through the zoning administrator and zoning board of appeals or plan commission. He has the responsibility for all of this enforcement activity.
2. Appointing and removing all departmental directors based upon merit and fitness. 65 ILCS 5/5-3-7(2). This means he has the authority to hire and fire all department heads. In essence it means he controls who gets hired or fired in all departments and divisions of the city. 65 ILCS 5/5-3.7(3). This authority includes the power to appoint and remove the chief of police. Every other department head and appointees serve at the pleasure of the city manager and city manager serves at the pleasure of the city council. It is obvious that the manager shall not discriminate illegally in hiring and firing decisions; in that sense he is not above the law or legal actions if alleged hiring or firings are proven to be illegal or discriminatory.
3. Controlling all municipal departments and divisons thereof. 65 ILCS 5/5-3-7(3)
4. Appointing and removing all appointive officers of a municipality formerly under the aldermanic form of government. 65 ILCS 5/5-3-7(4).
5. Exercising all powers otherwise granted to clerks and comptrollers in connection with the preparation of an annual report of estimated funds. 65 ILCS 5/5-3-7(5). In other words he, the city manager, is responsible for all the finanacial data needed to be seen by the Mayor and City Council. By using this power he has further control over department heads because he controls the budget that determines the departments finances.
6. The City Manager is the only individual that has the right to attend and participate in council meetings. 65 ILCS 5/5-3-7(6). Obviosly this places him in an important position because in many cases he is the only source of information and interpretation of specific problems or situations that may arise by which the City Council may make decisions.
7. He has the right to recommend legislative action. 65 ILCS 5/5-3-7(7).
8. Performing and executing any other duties prescribed by the City Council. 65 ILCS 5/5-3-7(8). He generally cannot create new offices or positions, incur any expenditures or enter into any contracts, as these are legislative and delegative functions left to the City Council. With authorization of the City Council he may however do so.

I have sat on many boards of directors over the last 35 years and usually we would routinely evaluate the individual who was acting as the equivalet to the City Manager at 6 month intervals; I hope and trust that the Woodstock City Council is doing the same. Remember what President Ronald Reagan said "trust but verify".

NEVER ENDING EGO?

Over one year ago Robert "coffee with the chief" Lowen of the Woodstock Illinois Police Department filed a complaint against Sgt. Steven R. Gorski with the Woodstock Illinois Board of Fire and Police Commissioners asking that the Sergeant be fired from the department for misconduct according to Lowen. Lowen's tax payer paid City of Woodstock Illinois attorneys presented 4 1/2 months of supposed evidence ending prosecution of the Sergeant on January 4, 2008....or did they....yes you heard me correctly...4 1/2 months. The Sergeant's attorney asked the Woodstock Illinois Board of Fire and Police Commissioners to consider a Motion for Directed Decision. What this meant is that Lowen and his cadre of tax payer paid attorneys did not prove their case in the 4 1/2 months they were trying to. On February 14, 2008 the Woodstock Illinois Board of Fire and Police Commissioners granted the Sergeant's Motion for a Directed Decision and also decided the complaint which was filed against him. The decision was 3 to 0 in the Sergeant's favor. The Woodstock Illinois Board of Fire and Police Commissioners ordered that "the charges against (the Sergeant) be dismissed" and that the Sergeant "be reimbursed for any wages withheld"...now almost a year's amount of pay. The Board stated that the "Chief" and "appropriate corporate authorities are directed to implement this order forthwith." To date only further litigation has been implemented forthwith by Lowen and the appropriate corporate authorities. This further litigation against the City's own Board of Fire and Police Commissioners and the Sergeant is counterproductive and is only costing the tax payers a whole lot of legal fees to the firm of Zukowski, Rogers, Flood & McArdle of 50 Virginia Street in Crystal Lake Illinois. In the end I suspect the only real winners in this episode will be the law firms bottom line....more money out of Woodstock tax payers pockets and into the law firms pockets.

I wonder if you still want to have "coffee with the chief" next month? Very, very expensive coffee.

A Word To The Wise...Fable III...Ben Franklin

This fable of Benjamin Franklin was published in "The Public Advertiser" , January 2, 1770 and the sage advice given equality applies today in certain situations that exist in McHenry County.

"A Lion's Whelp was put on board a Guinea Ship bound to America as a Present to a Friend in that Country: It was tame and harmless as a Kitten and therefore not confined, but suffered to walk about the ship at Pleasure. A stately, full grown English Mastiff, belonging to the Captain, despising the Weakness of the young Lion frequently took it's Food by Force, and often turned it out of its Lodging Box, when he had a Mind to repose therein himself. The young Lion nevertheless grew in Size and Strength, and the Voyage being long, he became at last a more equal Match for the Mastiff; who continuing his Insults, received a stunning Blow from the Lion's Paw over his Ears, and deterred him from any further Contest with such growing Strength; regretting that he had not rather secured its Friendship than provoked it's Enmity."

Benjamin Franklin, Jan.2, 1770

THE SAGA OF SGT. GORSKI

After almost twenty (20) years of serving and protecting the citizens of the City of Woodstock Illinois how does the Sergeant get a simple "thanks"?.....he doesn't...he gets a complaint filed against him from the relatively new Chief of Police Robert W. Lowen Jr.who still lives in Carpentersville. It use to be if you were the Chief of a Department you not only had to live in the county but also the city; after all you, as a responsible Chief, should want to be available within minutes when duty calls. Maybe there is a different set of rules if you are this new "boss" that I don't know about...times do change. I do know that when I was on emergency room call for the two local hospitals in McHenry County I had to be available within about 20 minutes at all times...I did not always like it but duty calls and you do it...it your responsibility to the people you serve.

In any event, this last summer on or about 29 August 2007 the Chief filed a complaint asking Woodstock's Board of Fire and Police Commissioners to fire the Sergeant because the Chief accused him of abusing prescription pain medications. No mention of the in-line of duty spinal injuries he had sustained was initially mentioned as the reason for the need for legitimate, physician prescribed pain medications. The Commissioners consisted of Ronald Giordano, Lawrence Howell, and Thomas Schroeder all of Woodstock along with an attorney hired by the City of Woodstock to act as council for the Board. The Chief through his City appointed and paid attorney Anne K.E. Brophy of the Law Firm of Zukowski, Rogers, Flood and McArdle of Crystal Lake prosecuted the Chief's complaint and took over four and one-half months(4 1/2)... that's correct, 4 1/2 months. The Chief and prosecution rested their case on Feb. 4, 2008.

I can only imagine what the legal fees amounted to for just this first part of the process and wonder if the Woodstock tax payers will ever find out the dollar cost to them.We all have seen capital cases (murder trials - criminal cases)last a lot less than this civil process (non criminal) case which was still not completed.Now you might think that it would take Sergeant Gorski's attorney Thomas Loizzo,of Woodstock, at least another four and one-half months (4 1/2) to present a defense for the Sergeant. It took attorney Loizzo a few minutes and a few sentences. Mr. Loizzo respectfully requested that the Board consider a Motion for a Directed Verdict (Decision). What this means is that Sergeant Gorski and his attorney did not present a defence against what the prosecution had presented for over 4 & 1/2 months. The Sergeant and his attorney believed that the Chief and the prosecution did not meet the burden of proof to find the Sergeant guilty of the Chief's complaint and to warrant his being fired from the Woodstock Police Force.

On February 4, 2008 the Board granted the motion for a directed finding and met privately to discuss the complaint. After several minutes they rendered there finding.The Board found unanimously (3 to 0) that the Chief failed to meet his burden to establish the guilt of the Sergeant. The Board ordered that the charges against Sergeant Gorski be dismissed and no disciplinary action was recommended whatsoever. The Board also directed that all back pay with statutory interest be paid to the Sergeant and he be reinstated when he can resume his duties. To date he has not received one penny of his back pay much less any interest. Instead the costly legal saga continues with the filing of another Complaint by the Chief, this time For Administrative Review by the 22nd Judicial Circuit of McHenry County. Named now by the Chief of Police as Defendants are all the Commissioners, Ronald Giordano, Lawrence Howell and Thomas Schroeder and now new co-defendant Sergeant Steven R. Gorski. Politics and legal tactics and the alleged inability to accept no to your request for discharge from the Police Department sure make strange bed-fellows.

The hearing will be before Judge McIntyre on July 18, 2008 in her courtroom. The Saga of Sergeant Gorski who was cleared of all charges along with his empty pocketbook and the continuing legal fees of Zukowski, Rogers,Flood and McArdle will continue in that courtroom like a never ending story. Where are the tax payers of Woodstock in this equation...nowhere to be considered by City officials it seems. I can only hope and pray and that in the end justice and truth and common sense will triumph and raw power, clout, ego and deep tax payer pockets do not prevail.

Lets Play....Guess Who In Woodstock Illinois?

1. May have allegedly been complicit in a Federal HIPPAA Law violation/s.


2. May have allegedly initiated a legal process based on hearsay without due diligence and appropriate initial evaluation.


3. May have allegedly violated due legal process/es.


4. May have allegedly violated the "The Illinois Uniform Peace Officers' Disciplinary Act".


5. May have allegedly disseminated private personal medical information.


6. May have allegedly violated 1.7G5 paragraph A: Regulations For Sworn Officers of the City of Woodstock Municipal Code.


7. May have allegedly violated other medical confidentiality law/s.


8. May have allegedly been in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by Retaliation and Harassment.


9. May have allegedly violated Title 18 of the United States Constitution, Section 241 Conspiracy Against Rights.


10. May have allegedly violated Title 42 of the United States Constitution, Section 14141 Pattern and Practice, Discriminating Harassment.


11. May have allegedly violated Title 56: Labor and Employment, Chapter 1: Department of Labor, Subchapter b: Regulation of Working Conditions Part 360 Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act Section 360.110, paragraph g.

12. May have allegedly violated the 4th and 14th Amendments of the U.S Constitution.

Guess what person or persons may have allegedly done this.

Woodstock & PD Takes Care Of Its Own...Joke

Within the Illinois Compiled Statutes there is a division called GENERAL PROVISIONS and within it is (5 ILCS 345/) Public Employee Disability Act, commonly known as "PEDA".

Sec. 1. Disability benefit.
(a) It lists among other things that an "eligible employee" is "any full-time law enforcement officer or full-time firefighter who is .............employed......., any unit of local government granted the power to employ persons for such purposes by law."

In my humble, non-lawyer brain this would include a city like Woodstock Illinois.

(b) "Whenever an eligible employee suffers any injury in the line of duty which causes him to be unable to perform his duties, he shall continue to be paid by the employing public entity on the same basis as he was paid before the injury..."

(c) "At any time during the period for which continuing compensation is required by this act, the employing public entity may order at the expense of that entity physical or medical examinations of the injured person to determine the degree of disability."

(d) "During this period of disability, the injured person shall not be employed in any other manner....."

Now lets look back at the situation of Sergeant Steven R. Gorski, an "eligible employee" of the Woodstock Police Department for (19) nineteen years.

1. Under Section 1 (a) he is an "eligible employee".
2. Under Section 1 (b) he sustained an in the line of duty injury that was reported, documented and approved after an investigation by a Deputy Chief of Police of the City of Woodstock. This injury has resulted in his inability for him to perform his duties as a Patrol Sergeant for the City of Woodstock Police Department.
3. Under Section 1 (c) never did the employing public entity (City) have a physical exam to determine the degree of disabililty of Sergeant Gorski.
4. Under Section 1 (d) at no time during this now current period of disability was or is the Sergeant employed in any other manner.

In conclusion, it seems to me that the City of Woodstock, its Mayor, City Council, City Administrator, Director of Human Resources and Chief of Police are alledgedly NOT in compliance with 5 ILCS 345/, The Public Employee Disabiltiy Act.

Now tonight when you go to sleep you can relax and have pleasant dreams knowing that your public officials are looking out for your best interests should something happen to you while you are working for the City of Woodstock. Pleasant dreams and yes don't forget to buy plenty of private disablity insurance so your family and you can survive.