Union Unhappy With Park Ridge Police Chief

PARK RIDGE, IL - The police union that represents officers in Park Ridge is unhappy with the chief there citing "poor leadership and morale." Members of the Teamsters Local 700 expressed that view of Chief Frank Kaminski in a letter sent to Mayor Marty Maloney around the time Kaminski recommended the firing of a police officer for alleged untruthful statements made regarding an incident in 2006.

Maloney invited members of the Local 700 to speak publicly at a City Council meeting on Nov. 13 but no one came, the Journal & Topics reports. The mayor shared the views from the letter with the City Council but said these discussions should occur in a public setting.

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Kaminski recently recommended the village fire Officer Jason Leavitt.

Leavitt was acquitted of charges of aggravated battery and official misconduct last year in connection with an Oct. 28, 2006 incident in which he is alleged to have used force against two teenage boys who were allegedly using a sling shot to damage car windows including his own. But an external investigation brought forth by Kaminski indicated that Leavitt was not completely truthful in his account of the day.

A Nov. 16 hearing that was set to decide whether or not Leavitt would be fired was postponed, according to the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate. A new hearing is set for Jan. 11, 2018.

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Photo: Park Ridge Police Department