April 19, 2024
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Joliet will hold special meeting on IG report

Council Member Pat Mudron faces potential reprimand

By Bob Okon
Councilman Pat Mudron discusses tabling a vote on liquor licenses on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at Joliet City Hall in Joliet, Ill. The Joliet City Council discussed an amendment to allow for liquor consumption and video gambling at gas stations.

Council Member Pat Mudron said he will be prepared to answer questions at a special meeting on Monday regarding a city inspector general report that recommends he be reprimanded and censured. (Geoff Stellfox/Geoff Stellfox - gstellfox@shawmedia.com)

The Joliet inspector general report calling for official misconduct charges against former Police Chief Al Roechner and a top aide won’t be the last word on the matter.

The Joliet City Council will hold a special meeting Monday to discuss the report issued last week, and Mayor Bob O’Dekirk said there is more to come.

O’Dekirk said at the end of a council meeting Tuesday that he had not known “the scope of the conspiracy” alleged against him in the report.

“What I do know is that what has been released to the public is not everything,” he said. “More is coming out.”

Three other council members spoke out on the report.

The March 1 report alleges that Roechner and then-Deputy Chief Marc Reid conspired with former Council Member Donald “Duck” Dickinson and others to file a false police report in November 2020. Dickinson alleged in the police report that O’Dekirk had committed acts of intimidation related to nude photos of Dickinson.

O’Dekirk denied ever seeing nude photos of Dickinson. A state police investigation into the matter led to a misdemeanor charge against Dickinson for providing false information in the police report, but the case was dismissed. In getting the case dismissed, Dickinson’s attorney filed a motion that said the former council member filed the police report on the advice of Roechener.

Don “Duck” Dickinson arrives to the Will County Courthouse with his lawyer Frank Andreano. The former Joliet councilman is charge with false accusation against the Joliet Mayor. Monday, April 11, 2022, in Joliet.

Don “Duck” Dickinson heads to the Will County Courthouse in April for a hearing on a misdemeanor case against him that eventually was dismissed. (Gary Middendorf - gmiddendorf@shawmedia.com/Gary Middendorf)

Inspector General Sean Connolly, recommends that the City Council reprimand and censure Mudron for not reporting the alleged conspiracy to city officials when he knew of it.

“I’m assuming I’m the only one they can punish,” Mudron said before the council meeting.

The city inspector general does not have authority to bring charges, but has recommended that the Illinois Attorney General look into felony official misconduct charges against Roechner and Reid.

Mudron said the inspector general report “has a lot of misstatements in it” but would not be specific.

“I’m going to hold back until Monday,” he said.

Council Member Joe Clement and former Joliet police officer, read a statement at the Tuesday meeting referring to his 25-day suspension under Roechner for allegedly making false statements about a fellow officer being drunk on duty.

Clement said “was also targeted by Roechner and Reid for disciplinary action for invented statements and offenses.”

Councilwoman Jan Quillman said she found the finding in the inspector general report “very sickening.”

The report and the upcoming special meeting come just weeks ahead of the April 4 city election in which Mudron is seeking reelection. He is among four candidates running for the District 2 City Council seat.

Mudron has opposed O’Dekirk on key issues at times, and was the lone no vote on the council when it approved the appointment of Connolly in February 2022.

The mayor appoints the inspector general with approval from the council. Inspector general reports go to the mayor.