Mayor Criticizes Police Chief's Handling Of Crowley Case

JOLIET, IL - Joliet Police Chief Brian Benton's handling of embattled Officer Nick Crowley's employment status continues to cost Joliet's taxpayers thousands of dollars with no end in sight. Last summer, Benton put Crowley on indefinite paid leave after Crowley was arrested by other members of the Joliet Police Department on charges of domestic violence and reckless discharge of a gun. At the time of the incident, Crowley was at his home with his girlfriend, who is a fellow Joliet police officer.

Since last July, Crowley, now 37, has been paid to sit at home and collect a paycheck while his criminal case is still pending at the Will County Courthouse. He made almost $93,000 last year for Joliet even though he barely showed up for work half the year.

On Tuesday night, Mayor Bob O'Dekirk spoke up near the end of the Joliet City Council meeting. He voiced his frustration about one particular police officer remaining on prolonged paid leave, rather than reporting to work and doing something meaningful and productive to earn his taxpayer-funded salary and benefits package.

The mayor's comments were directed at Benton, who, like most city department heads, sits at a nearby table during the council meetings.

It was obvious, based on the tenor of the mayor's comments, that city officials are growing frustrated toward Benton's handling of Crowley's employment status.

Since last July, Benton has allowed Crowley to draw his regular salary and his normal fringe benefits, including added vacation and accrued sick bank time, while taking no measure to terminate Crowley's employment.

Nick Crowley

On Tuesday, O'Dekirk said more and more constituents are growing critical with the city's handling of the Crowley case.

"I've heard from a number of people who are concerned ... he needs to be coming into work."

Actually, O'Dekirk was a Joliet officer during the 1990s before he went to law school and became an attorney. He said there have been numerous cases over the years when a city police officer, facing a criminal charge or a disciplinary procedure, was put on light duty or given desk duty.

Most of the department's disciplinary matters go through Benton and or deputy chief of police administration Tab Jensen. Lt. Marc Reid has handled the police department's internal affairs unit for the past several years.

During Tuesday's council meeting, Benton chose not to make a response to the mayor's comments.

Afterward, Joliet Patch left a message on Benton's phone around 9:30 p.m. seeking additional comments for this article, but Benton chose not to respond.

Benton has spent his entire career with the Joliet Police Department, joining the agency in 1990. Benton was promoted to chief in 2013.

So what's next in this costly ongoing employment drama at the Joliet Police Department?

The mayor indicated that he wants Joliet's new city manager David Hales, who has a wealth of experience as a top city official in numerous states, to come up with a better solution.

Hales indicated during the meeting that he plans to visit with Benton as well as other city officials from the legal department in the coming days to discuss the matter further.

After the meeting, O'Dekirk told Patch he wants the city council to have the employment matter reconciled by the time of the next regular council meeting in two weeks.

Letting Crowley continue to stay home and keep getting paid for doing nothing may be OK with Benton's management style, but it seems to clash with the mayor's viewpoint. If this situation is not dealt with soon, it could last for many more months, the mayor noted.

"I think people who receive a city paycheck need to be coming to work," O'Dekirk reiterated.

In February, Joliet Patch published an exclusive public spending watchdog story reporting Crowley had made at least $52,300 since his arrest in mid-July of 2017. Now, factoring in another two months of paid leave time since that article, means Crowley made another $15,000 in pay.

That would put his ongoing paid leave compensation at close to $70,000, not counting the city-funded costs for his medical and dental insurance benefits.

Crowley is represented by downtown Joliet criminal defense attorney Jeff Tomczak, and his case is currently set for a jury trial starting May 14 in Will County Courtroom 400.

Tomczak has repeatedly told Joliet Patch he is confident Crowley will be found not guilty of the criminal charges once the jury hears the facts of the case.