Swing Vote OKs Big Raises For Joliet Police Supervisors

JOLIET, IL — In 2020, Cesar Guerrero attended several of the George Floyd Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the city of Joliet. On Tuesday night, the Joliet City Council's youngest member made the Joliet Police Supervisors Association very happy, serving as their pivotal swing vote, approving raises that will grant many of its members a pay hike ranging between $8,000 and $10,000 including three years of retroactive and holiday pay.

In a 5-3 margin, voting for the huge raises were Guerrero, Pat Mudron, Suzanna Ibarra, Cesar Cardenas and Sherri Reardon. Voting against it were Joe Clement, Larry Hug and Jan Quillman.

Guerrero did not offer any comments as far as why he was supporting the Joliet police supervisors contract — several minutes after he had just voted in favor of tabling it to a future meeting.

Mayor Terry D'Arcy announced that he would abstain because his son, Chris, is a sergeant. D'Arcy's son will now be one of the recipients of the large pay raise as well.

In 2022, Chris D'Arcy made a total of $195,000 as a Joliet police sergeant.

Prior to the vote, the Council met behind closed doors for about 30 minutes to discuss the contract. Several Council members voted for the contract on Tuesday night of nearly 70 pages without having read it in its entirety, according to Clement.

Earlier in the meeting, there was an effort to delay the vote on the contract for the Joliet Police Supervisors until new city manager Beth Beatty starts at City Hall next week, but Sherri Reardon was adamant, she did not want that to happen.

Reardon made it clear on Tuesday night she wanted the contract approved at this meeting, and she gained the support of enough of her colleagues to make that happen.

There was a vote to table the contract until a future meeting, but that motion failed because it was a 4-4 deadlock. In that vote, Guerrero voted to table it.

At face value, the contract presented to the City Council gives a misleading impression that Joliet Police Sgt. Matt Breen and his members are getting raises of 2.5 percent, 2 percent and 3.25 percent. In reality, the raises are significantly more, because at least 40 of the 53 Joliet Police Supervisors also get a step raise for having 18 or more years of service with JPD.

Come 2024, and beyond, several members of the Joliet Police Supervisors Association are now likely to make more than $200,000 in total compensation on an annual basis, as a result of the new three-year contract that Guerrero and the Council approved.

Prior to Tuesday night's vote, Guerrero seemed an unlikely Councilman to approve a several thousand dollar pay raise for Joliet's sergeants and lieutenants, given Guerrero's vocal role in attending several anti-Joliet police demonstrations in recent years.

"Last summer, when George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s murders sparked protests across the country, I felt moved to stand in solidarity with neighbors I’d never met before to call for justice nationally and here at home," Guerrero answered in his candidate questionnaire for Joliet Patch.

"I stood at the corner of Larkin and Jefferson for weeks and was horrified when I saw our own mayor attack peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters as they demonstrated against exactly the kind of state violence they were out protesting against. It’s no surprise that, even after two deaths in police custody this year, JPD still refuses to take the most basic steps toward police accountability and community safety by refusing to install dash cams in every patrol car and mandate all officers be outfitted with body cams.

"Such common sense reforms are just the first step. As long as racial inequity is a reality, I will continue to uplift the truth that all lives can’t matter until black lives matter and will stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and other racial and social justice organizations that advance the cause of justice and peace in our city and country."

Here's a rundown of some of the Joliet police supervisors and what they made in 2022: In addition to their regular salary and overtime wages, the sergeants and lieutenants also received a yearly holiday stipend, an annual court stipend and an annual longevity stipend based on their seniority with Joliet.

Jeremy Harrison, joined Joliet police in 1999, promoted in 2015 to lieutenant
Regular salary: $143,650
Overtime pay: $41,321
$195,562 in total pay for 2022

Kenneth Brown, joined Joliet police in 2000, promoted in 2018 to lieutenant
Regular salary: $143,650
Overtime pay: $31,913
$187,059 in total pay for 2022

Andrew Jose, joined Joliet police in 1997, promoted in 2018 to lieutenant
Regular salary: $143,650
Overtime pay: $22,412
$180,659 in total pay for 2022

Raul Alvarez, joined Joliet police in 2001, promoted to sergeant in 2009
Regular salary: $130,943
Overtime pay: $46,911, plus $16,666 in Other Pay
$204,276 in total pay for 2022

Richard Olson Jr., joined Joliet police in 1998, promoted to sergeant in 2021
Regular salary: $124,889 Overtime pay: $55,350
$190,119 in total pay for 2022

Matthew Breen, joined Joliet police in 1997, promoted to sergeant in 2007
Regular salary: $130,943
Overtime pay: $39,449
$183,250 in total pay for 2022

Tizoc Landeros, joined Joliet police in 2000, promoted to sergeant in 2018
Regular salary: $124,888
Overtime pay: $50,325
$184,730 in total pay for 2022

John Williams, joined Joliet police in 2000, promoted to sergeant in 2021
Regular salary: $124,889
Overtime pay: $47,319
$183,700 in total pay for 2022

Peter Van Gessel, joined Joliet police in 1998, promoted to sergeant in 2021
Regular salary: $124,889
Overtime pay: $61,192
$195,586 in total pay for 2022