Oak Lawn Firefighters Union Under Criminal Probe

The Cook County State’s Attorney Office has launched a criminal investigation into possible misuse of union funds by a member of the Oak Lawn firefighters’ union.

The executive board officers of Oak Lawn Professional Firefighters Union Local 3405 were served with a subpoena around Sept. 1, for documents related to a complaint lodged by an active and sworn village firefighter.

Lt. Vincent Griffin, an Oak Lawn firefighter and president of Local 3405, confirmed that the union’s executive board received an “inquiry” from the state’s attorney office.

“I’ve not seen the complaint,” Griffin said.

Local 3405 represents Oak Lawn’s approximately 70 firefighters and paramedics.

Village Manager Larry Deetjen said he learned of the subpoena through Oak Lawn Police Chief Michael Murray and that he had informed the mayor and village trustees.

“The [Oak Lawn Police Department] did receive a complaint several weeks ago from an active/sworn Oak Lawn firefighter alleging misuse of Oak Lawn Professional Firefighters Local 3405 monies,” Deetjen said via email. “OLPD investigators asked the [firefighters] union for specific documents to undertake an investigation of the allegations and the union declined to provide them.”

Griffin did not respond to questions regarding whether the firefighters’ union declined turning over documents pertaining to the missing union funds to the Oak Lawn Police Department, said to be in the thousands of dollars. In addition to Griffin, the union’s executive board is comprised of firefighters Scott Tsilis and secretary and treasurer Mike McMillan.

The village manager said it was his understanding that a grand jury is looking into the allegations.

The firefighters’ union dues are deducted from their paychecks and turned over to Local 3405, as are other public employee unions within the village. The Village of Oak Lawn was not served with a subpoena.

The village’s legal counsel, Johnson, Peterson, Murray, is aware of the allegations involving the firefighters’ union and the subpoena.

No one has been charged with any wrongdoing.