Oak Brook Pays $2M To Settle Sex Harassment Claims

OAK BROOK, IL – Oak Brook has paid $2 million in settlements to three women who claimed the deputy police chief harassed them.

One alleged that the former deputy chief, Reid Foltyniewicz, repeatedly touched her genitalia, chest and buttocks over her clothes.

Another said the chief blocked her from leaving his office.

Patch obtained the settlements and the women's complaints through a public records request.

On March 27, Village President Larry Herman and Police Brian Brockis signed settlements with the three women.

The Village Board never voted on the agreements in an open meeting, effectively keeping the matter secret from the public.

"(T)he Village's insurance carrier elected to enter into a voluntary settlement with three now former Village employees, bringing the matter to a conclusion," the village said in a statement Monday to Patch.

Other public bodies take votes on such settlements. Herman's authority is unclear; he did not return a message for comment Monday.

The three women were represented by attorney Max Barack of the Chicago-based Garfinkel Group.

Foltyniewicz, who now advertises himself online as an "executive risk" consultant, has not returned messages for comment.

In December 2024, the women filed complaints with the state Human Rights Department.

The woman who alleged she was repeatedly touched started with the police department in February 2024.

In her complaint, she said Foltyniewicz regularly made comments about her personal life, including asking whether she was "f---ing" her boyfriend.

Foltyniewicz also repeatedly demanded that the woman send him love notes and text messages, she said. If she didn't relent, the deputy chief would become angry and try to isolate her from her coworkers, according to the complaint.

She alleged that Foltyniewicz took her on extended coffee runs and parked in secluded areas, touching her inappropriately.

Foltyniewicz also promised her promotions if she complied with his sexual demands, leaving her feeling trapped, the complaint said.

Another woman, who was hired in April 2023, contended Foltyniewicz greeted her with daily handshakes that quickly escalated to unsolicited hugs. He also demanded that she smile at him when they saw each other, according to the complaint.

In one instance, Foltyniewicz hugged her from behind when she was on a phone call and interrupted her, asking her to come to his office when she was done, she said.

When she arrived, he told her that she had sexually aroused him, giving him a "b---r," the complaint said.

She also said he took her on regular coffee runs and drove her to vacant parking lots, including a soccer field.

She alleged that another male employee followed Foltyniewicz's example and made repeated advances, asking her for hugs and to "make out" in the records room.

After she reported the harassment, colleagues avoided her, the complaint said.

"The fear was compounded by the actions of Foltyniewicz's associates, who made it clear through their conduct that I was being retaliated against for speaking up," she said in the complaint.

The third woman was hired in September 2022. Shortly after she was hired, Foltyniewicz made an unwelcome sexual advance, saying she would be "stupid" not to like him, the complaint said.

"I understood his statement to impliedly threaten that refusing his sexual demands would negatively affect the terms and conditions of my employment with (the police department)," she said.

His advances ended in December 2022 or January 2023, she said.

After that, Foltyniewicz launched a year-long campaign to denigrate her work, isolate her from colleagues and try to fire her, she said.

He frequently threatened to write her up, once for going to lunch with the investigations team, rather than the support services team, according to her complaint.

He gave her a low score on her evaluation, resulting in only a 9-cent-an-hour raise, she said.

During another performance review, he gave her another poor evaluation.

At the end of the meeting, Foltyniewicz became physically aggressive, blocking the exit and trying to prevent her from keeping a copy of the evaluation, the complaint said.

"He physically obstructed me from leaving his office," she said.

Foltyniewicz's actions were because "we were no longer engaging in sexual activity," the complaint said.

The hostile environment continued after her internal complaints and the beginning of an investigation, she said. The administration took no steps to curtail the retaliation, she said.

She resigned July 4, 2024.

Two of the women alleged that during personal conversations, Foltyniewicz would unclip his holster and pull up his gun, in an apparent act of intimidation.

Foltyniewicz, whose last day was Nov. 30, 2024, started with the police department in 2007 and was deputy police chief for his last three years.

The village said it immediately put Foltyniewicz on leave upon learning of the allegations.

The village also said it notified the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board and sought to decertify Foltyniewicz as an officer.

"The Village has and does support Chief (Brian) Strockis' immediate and decisive actions throughout this process to protect the Village’s workforce from harassment," the village said in its statement.

The settlements were for $850,000, $670,000 and $480,000.

The agreements indicate the village's insurer is covering the entire amount.

Here are the three settlements:

• Settlement 1
• Settlement 2
• Settlement 3