Joe Clement: Retired Joliet Detective Announces City Council Run

JOLIET, IL —On Thursday, Joliet Park Board member Joe Clement, a recently retired Joliet Police Department detective, informed the city clerk's office of his intention to run for an at-large seat in the April 6 elections.

"I have served our city 27 years and want to continue that service as an elected member of the City Council," Clement told Joliet Patch's editor on Thursday night. "As a former employee and 27-year resident, the disagreement and fighting on the City Council has been disappointing as we had so many great things going on in our city. I am running because I know how to disagree without being disagreeable."

Clement retired from the Joliet Police Department on Aug. 1.

On Thursday, he informed Joliet Patch that during his current term of elected office on the Joliet Park Board, "we turned a deficit into a surplus without raising taxes. I will use those same techniques at the city."

For a number of years, Clement worked closely with Mayor Bob O'Dekirk in the mayor's office handling investigations related to city liquor licenses. Clement and O'Dekirk both worked together in the 1990s when O'Dekirk was a police officer before he became a private practice lawyer.

"While I think the Mayor has done some really great things, I intend to be a strong independent voice on the council, I will support him when I think it is the right thing for our families, but I have no intention of engaging in childish arguing and bickering in an attempt to garner headlines," Clement told Patch.

Actually, there are three open seats on the council in the April 6 races and as many as a dozen people, if not more, may be on the election ballot.

The openings are: Longtime councilman Mike Turk's seat, the seat of Don "Duck" Dickinson and the one held by four-term incumbent Jan Quillman, who is seeking re-election.

Dickinson is not seeking re-election, Turk remains undecided on whether he wants to try to serve another four-year term. He is currently in his 33rd year on the City Council.

Joliet Patch reported last year that Clement drew a 25-day unpaid suspension from Police Chief Al Roechner stemming from an incident at the September 2019 Mexican festival in downtown Joliet. That night, Mayor Bob O'Dekirk complained to Roechner that several people saw Joliet Police Sgt. Lindsey Heavener drinking out of a red plastic cup at the tequila bar.

In the end, Roechner accused Clement of making false statements surrounding the episode involving Heavener, who retired from the Joliet Police Department in January.

Clement appealed his 25-day suspension to the city's police and fire board and even though he is retired, the board will take up Clement's case on Oct. 28.

"I have my hearing in the next few weeks," Clement told Patch on Thursday. "I think the facts and evidence will exonerate me. I look forward to the conclusion of that hearing so my blemish-free record will be restored."

Besides Clement, 11 others have already taken out nominating petition papers for the three at-large seats on the Joliet City Council.

They are as follows: recently retired Joliet Police Sgt. Lindsey Heavener, who lives on Apache Drive; Robert Wunderlich, who lives on Campbell Street; Janean Jackson, who lives on Pinetrails Circle; Brian Bettenhausen, who lives on Lilac Lane; Glenda Wright-McCullum, a Joliet Housing Authority board member and local minister who lives on Mason Avenue; Isiah Williams Jr., a Joliet businessman who lives on Parkwood Drive; Hudson Hollister, CEO of downtown Joliet's HData technology company, who lives on Buell Avenue; James Lanham, who lives on Doe Court; Cesar Guerrero, who lives on Francis Street; incumbent Jan Quillman, who lives on Western Avenue; and Marty Shanahan, former corporation counsel for city of Joliet, who lives on Expedition Street.

Other Joliet Patch city election articles of late:

Lindsey Heavener, Foe Of Mayor O'Dekirk, Runs For City Council

Marty Shanahan Among 7 To Seek Joliet City Council Seat

33 Years On City Council Is Enough For Mike Turk: Ferak Opinion