Phone-Sex Firefighter Who Turned Firehouse into 'Animal House' Fired: Village Officials

During his interrogation hearing, former Oak Lawn firefighter/paramedic Bob Lanz allegedly denied familiarity with TS Dolly or her website, TS Dolly Big Shaft.

The Oak Lawn firefighter accused of making phone calls to sex lines while on duty has been fired.

Firefighter/paramedic and former union officer Robert Lanz was terminated Monday for “violations of multiple departmental rules and regulations.”

• Also on Patch: Oak Lawn Firefighter Under Probe for On-Duty Phone Sex

Oak Lawn Fire Chief George Sheets sent Lanz a letter on Feb. 4, informing Lanz he would be seeking to terminate the firefighter/paramedic’s employment following a disciplinary hearing last month.

The termination notice also noted that Lanz had a history of disciplinary actions leading up to his separation from service. Lanz is alleged to have made and/or received phone calls from sex lines while on duty.

Lanz was given 10 days to let the village know if he wanted a hearing before the Oak Lawn Police and Fire Commission. After waiving the hearing, Lanz’s termination went into effect immediately on Monday.

“The firehouse is not an animal house,” Sheets said in a news release. “While we are on duty, firefighters are expected to devote their full attention to the needs of the community. Mr. Lanz’s conduct fell far short of that expectation, and he is no longer an Oak Lawn employee.”

A redacted complaint outlining the fire chief’s decision for termination provided by the village’s legal counsel, Benjamin Gehrt, indicated that a criminal investigation was launched by the Cook County Sheriff’s Department into Lanz’s possible misuse of union funds for personal use in July 2015.

Per the sheriff’s investigation, the Oak Lawn Professional Firefighters Union turned over its books to an outside accounting firm, which conducted a partial audit.

The accountant report determined that Lanz, who served as the union’s treasurer, had used more than $11,000 in union funds for questionable personal expenses between January 2010 and December 2014.

Many of the charges were to the adult entertainment companies NF Services and UNI Information Inc., which provide phone-sex services.

• Also on Patch: Firefighter’s NiteFlirts Phone Sex Found in Audit: Report

One of those, NF Services, also known as NiteFlirt, advertised live phone sex with men, women and couples, including live web-cam sex.

By cross referencing the dates of the charges with Lanz’s duty days, it appeared many of the charges were made when Lanz was on duty, according to the fire chief’s complaint.

The complaint also noted an acquaintanceship between Lanz and a woman named “TF Dolly,”

Realizing the serious nature of the suspected violations, the fire chief launched an investigation. Lanz was asked to produce his personal and credit card records. Instead, in December, Lanz filed an emergency restraining order in Cook County Circuit Court, which was rejected by a judge.

During an interrogation hearing on Jan. 7, the fire chief alleges in his decision for termination of employment that Lanz was less than truthful in his sworn testimony.

The firefighter/paramedic denied there was a criminal investigation into his potential misuse of union funds while a union officer, or that he was asked to repay the union $11,032 from his personal funds.

Lanz also denied calling any phone sex entity while on duty, or having any familiarity with TF Dolly or her website, TF Dolly Big Shaft, the complaint noted.

Lanz and the firefighters union have notified the village that they plan to file a grievance against the village challenging the fire chief’s decision.

Village officials said in a press statement while it is the firefighters’ union’s right to pursue arbitration, “the village hopes the union will do the right thing and say with a strong, loud voice ‘we will not accept this type of behavior in the firehouse.’ If, however, the union proceeds to arbitration, the village is prepared to fully defend Fire Chief Sheets’ decision.”

• Also on Patch: Oak Lawn Firefighters Union Under Criminal Probe

Village officials further claim a pattern of past “reckless animal house behavior,” including an $800,000 settlement to a settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a female firefighter after semen was found in her bedding. The village incurred $1 million in legal fees in defending itself.

Additionally, the village said there have been instances of cheating on examinations, fraudulent abuse of sick time, indecent behavior with a co-worker’s personal property, evidence of multiple visits to a child pornography site on unauthorized firehouse computers, and a firefighter who tested positive for using cocaine.

Oak Lawn Mayor Sandra Bury expressed strong support for the decision made by Chief Sheets, stating that “consideration for resident safety made this difficult decision a simple one.”

“Residents must respect and trust their first responders, and the conduct exhibited by Mr. Lanz greatly diminishes that trust,” Bury said. “It also diminishes the reputation of those that do maintain high standards of integrity and ethical conduct.”

A call placed to the firefighter union’s attorney, Lisa Moss, was not immediately returned.