Malec Made Egizio Deputy Chief Without City Hall's OK: Records

JOLIET, IL —Dawn Malec was removed as Joliet's police chief on Oct. 6, and one of the issues that preceded her ouster was Malec's decision to promote Lt. Joe Egizio into a deputy chief's position with a pay raise, without the authority of City Hall, documents show.

Through a Freedom of Information Act request, Joliet Patch obtained a handful of emails exchanged between Malec and city manager Jim Capparelli in the days leading up to Malec's termination from her role as police chief.

"Chief Malec, It has come to my attention that you have appointed LT. Egizio to interim deputy chief. You have no authority to do so. I expect you to take immediate corrective action," a Sept. 13 email written by Col. James Capparelli, city manager, informed her.

Several hours later, Malec wrote Joliet's city manager back, informing him that "I fully understand that a permanent appointment for anyone to the rank of Deputy Chief will require approval from above my position and understand the scope of my authority in that process.

"There was in no way an inappropriate appointment of Lt. Egizio. Lt. Egizio understands that he retains the rank of Lieutenant and that it is not to be implied, nor is there is any indication, that he will be promoted to the position of Deputy Chief. This assignment adjustment, when dealing with this interim status, falls within the scopes of payroll and responsibility while he fills the need to continue the necessary work of the vacated office."

Malec stated that the temporary raise in pay for Egizio was "due to personnel taking on the work and responsibility of a higher rank" and that "does fall within my authority as evidenced by the past practices of previous Police Chiefs. I did check into this to confirm that I would not be overstepping my authority. Further, it should be noted that assigning step-up pay will be more cost-effective than having someone perform these duties on overtime outside of their normal work hours."

Since her termination, the city has allowed Malec to return to her previous rank as a Joliet police lieutenant. However, city officials have told Patch that Malec has been seen working in City Hall at the City Clerk's Office, not at the Joliet police station.

Malec did not return phone calls from Joliet Patch earlier this month seeking comment about her removal as Joliet's chief of police after less than nine months in the job.

Capparelli has declined to discuss the reasons he fired Malec as the chief of police. City human resources director Kathy Franson has not returned numerous messages from Joliet Patch seeking comment about Malec's employment status. In one of her memos to the City Council, Franson referred to Malec's ouster as police chief as a demotion.

In mid-January, Malec was appointed chief in the hopes of overhauling the Joliet Police Department following the performance of Al Roechner, who agreed to resign following several days of back and forth salary negotiations with outgoing interim city manager Jim Hock.

Last week, Joliet Police Sgt. Patrick Cardwell announced that his organization intended to expel Sgt. Javier Esqueda from the Joliet Police Supervisors Association. A vote on Esqueda's expulsion will take place Nov. 10 at the Joliet Moose Lodge.

Esqueda has drawn national attention to the Joliet Police Department by raising allegations of evidence tampering and police misconduct by several fellow supervisors and officers who were involved in the Eric Lurry case.

After Esqueda blew the whistle on his peers in the summer of 2020, Egizio helped oversee a criminal investigation that resulted in several felony charges of official misconduct against Esqueda, whose case may go trial next year.

Meanwhile, the Joliet Police Department has been the subject of negative national news stories since Esqueda's arrest, notably an investigative story published by USA Today on Sept. 7.

Furthermore, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has launched an unlawful policing practices investigation into the Joliet Police Department.

Another city of Joliet email obtained by Joliet Patch shows that Malec notified the city HR director to give Egizio a raise in pay while he served as her new deputy chief, following the retirement of Mike Batis.

Capparelli's email reply informed Malec that she was clearly out of line for doing this. Capparelli also made sure that his email to her was seen by the city's corporation counsel Sabrina Spano and Franson, the HR director.

As of now, nobody has updated the Joliet Police Department website to reflect the changes in leadership. Malec is out as chief, Robert Brown was named interim police chief and Batis retired in September, but all are still listed in their former titles as command staff on the website.

Egizio's promotion to deputy chief by Malec was not allowed, and he remains lieutenant of criminal investigations where he reports to Carlos Matlock, deputy chief of criminal investigations.

Capparelli told Joliet Patch earlier this month that Joliet definitely will not hire any more police chiefs from within its ranks. A national candidate search is now underway and Capparelli has said he does not care whether Joliet's new chief comes from Illinois or elsewhere — he just wants somebody with substantial police management experience.

"We need fresh eyes," Capparelli said. "Hopefully, we'll get someone who is at least familiar with Joliet.

"I lost faith and confidence in the police chief, and I wish her the best in her endeavors," Capparelli said.