Highlights of OIG activity from October 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019 are highlighted below:
- An OIG investigation established that a former investigator in the now-defunct Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) concealed information regarding a police-involved shooting under IPRA’s jurisdiction, visited and repeatedly communicated with the family of a police shooting victim and failed to inform IPRA, and sought to refer and receive a referral fee for connecting the shooting victim’s family with an attorney. OIG recommended that CPD discharge the employee (at this point, the former investigator had become employed as a CPD civilian member). CPD discharged the employee and referred the employee for placement on the ineligible for rehire list. In response, the employee filed for arbitration to challenge the discharge.
- An OIG investigation established that a deputy commissioner in the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) violated Personnel Rules and the Illinois Criminal Code by repeatedly lying about absences from work, when in fact the deputy commissioner was either in police custody or concealing an arrest for $35,286.12 worth of fraudulently-disputed credit card charges. OIG recommended that CDA discharge the employee; the deputy commissioner resigned and was placed on the City’s ineligible for rehire list.
- An OIG investigation established that a Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) district manager sexually harassed numerous individuals while working at a DFSS Community Service Center. On several occasions, the district manager made unwanted comments about a security guard’s physical appearance as well as unwanted physical contact without consent, in addition to making sexually explicit comments to another City department employee. The district manager also kissed a member of the public and afterward called her repeatedly. OIG’s investigation found that the district manager had a history of sexually harassing female co-workers through inappropriate comments and unwanted physical contact. Shortly after OIG commenced the investigation, the district manager retired and refused to appear for an interview. OIG recommended DFSS find that the evidence established violations of the City’s Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy and Personnel Rules, place the OIG report in the employee’s personnel file, and refer the employee for placement on the ineligible for rehire list. OIG also recommended that DFSS examine its policies and procedures on the assignment and supervision of employees who interact with the public, especially employees with a history of being perpetrators of sexual harassment; DFSS agreed with our recommendations.
- Other topics of OIG investigations included: City contractors who engaged in fraud, ethics violations, and misconduct; forged and false documents at the Department of Housing; prohibited political activity and misuse of City property by an Alderman; fraudulent use of sick and FMLA leave at the Office of Emergency Management and Communications; a Department of Streets and Sanitation ward superintendent harassing construction crews and providing misleading information; and residency violations.
- An OIG notification issued to the Chicago Public Library (CPL), stemming from an investigation, which determined that CPL did not install GPS tracking in its vehicles, resulting in an accountability gap relative to most other departments, allowing for potential unauthorized use of City vehicles.
- OIG’s quarterly report numbers are now available as an interactive dashboard that allows you to filter and compare complaints, investigations, and case outcomes, dating back to 2016.