NEWS: Daley says pension fix ideas on the way

From Clout Street (Chicago Tribune)

Posted by Hal Dardick at 2:40 p.m.

Mayor Richard Daley signaled today that controversial recommendations for reforming the city’s employee pension systems will be coming soon.

The announcement came more than two years after the mayor appointed a commission to of top financial managers to find ways to strengthen pension funds for the city, Park District, Chicago Housing Authority and City Colleges of Chicago.

“I expect these recommendations to come very shortly,” Daley said. “We all recognize that the status quo will not work. . . . It’s time to reform a system that isn’t working for our city’s budget, our city’s taxpayers or for some of our employees, for that matter.”

Daley went on to suggest the recommendations won’t be timid. “I hope it’s controversial,” he said. “It has to be. If it’s not controversial, then it’s not worth anything.”

Earlier this week, the Civic Federation, a non-partisan government budget watchdog group primarily funded by business interests, released a report indicating local unfunded government pension liabilities in Chicago have grown nearly five-fold in the past decade.

Inadequate pension funding long has been recognized as a growing problem threatening the solvency of local and state budgets in many parts of the country.

“I cannot overstate how important this is,” Daley said. “We need pension reform to protect Chicago taxpayers and their interests.

“Remember, people across the nation and in Chicago, they are angry at what they see as a system that puts government bureaucrats ahead of taxpayers. At this very same time, they are threatened with losing their jobs and pensions.”

Daley said he had yet to see the recommendations, but suggested one target of reforms would be “double dipping,” in which someone retires from a government job and gets hired for another government post while receiving a pension.

NEWS: (Illinois) Three top officials out in Illinois prisons shakeup

From Clout Street (Chicago Tribune)

Posted by Monique Garcia and Ray Long at 5:20 p.m.; updated at 6:32 p.m.

Three top officials at the Illinois Department of Corrections are out in a staff shakeup at the prisons agency.

Spokeswoman Sharyn Elman said today that Executive Assistant Sergio Molina, Chief of Staff Jim Reinhart and Northern Regional Supervisor Jac Charlier are no longer state employees. Elman declined to comment further, citing privacy rules regarding personnel decisions.

The changes come after recent struggles for the prison agency under Gov. Pat Quinn. The administration says it's keeping close tabs on the department following a controversial prisoner early release program implemented late last year.

In the run up to the Feb. 2 Democratic governor primary, Quinn found himself at the center of a firestorm surrounding the program after more than 1,700 inmates were released after serving just weeks behind state bars to save money.

At the time, Quinn put the blame on his corrections chief, Michael Randle, but said he would not fire him. The governor suspended the program and eventually acknowledged the ultimate blame rests with him.

A veteran prison administrator, Molina, 47, got word today that he was being dumped by the Quinn administration as a new corrections team is assembled.

"I received a notice this morning that my services were no longer needed, effective today," Molina said.

Asked if his departure had anything to do with the early release debacle, Molina said: "Director Michael Randle stood with the governor and took full responsibility for the early release program, and that's precisely where the responsibility lies, with Director Randle."

The Tribune requested an interview with Randle today to discuss the shakeup, but it hasn't happened yet.

Under the program, called meritorious good time push, Randle could grant any inmate up to 90 days’ worth of credit based on their behavior in prison. Many inmates were granted credit immediately upon entering prison, and as a result only spent weeks in state custody. Lawmakers have since cracked down on the practice, sending Quinn a measure that he later signed into law restricting qualifications for release.

Molina said he has served “at the pleasure of an administration” since he became an assistant warden at Joliet Correctional Center in 1994, meaning he could be let go at any time.

"I've been fortunate to have worked for nearly 25 years, starting my DOC career as a correctional officer in 1985, and I'm saddened to see it end."

The news of Molina's dismissal came as a shock to state Sen. William Delgado. The Democratic lawmaker from Chicago's Northwest Side said Molina was being used as a "scapegoat" to cover larger flaws within the department that were brought to light following the prisoner release scandal.

Delgado said Molina represents years of institutional knowledge and proved to be a value to the corrections community by earning the respect of several administrations, Democrat and Republican alike. But Delgado said Molina was "isolated" almost immediately after Randle was put in place in May 2009. Delagado, a former parole officer, said he believes the release "blunder could have been prevented" if Randle had properly consulted with Molina.

“What an atrocious decision by the administration of Quinn,” Delgado said. “Because he brings in a new director who institutes the release program, (Molina) gets pushed out. It’s shameful.”

Elman released a statement in response tonight. "There is no scapegoating. The director took responsibility months ago for the MGT-Push early release program. The program was suspended and is currently being reviewed and DOC is well on the way to fixing the challenges that have been identified. As we move forward, we will continue to make the necessary and appropriate changes," the statement read.

Reinhart, the chief of staff, resigned from his position.

"The governor does have to make changes, and in all honesty, there needs to be changes at DOC," Reinhart said. "The governor has recently hired some new staff that are very capable of moving the department forward."

Charlier could not immediately be reached for comment.

NEWS: (Cook County) Sheriff's police bust prostitution ring in northwest suburbs

Top row, left to right: Bryon Blanco, Kristian Branch, Brittany Brewer, Shannon Castor, and Shawneequa Boyd. Bottom row, left to right: Jessica Dusablon, Joyce Gipson, Alma Lopez, Wendy Romack. (Cook County Sheriff's office handouts)

From Chicago Tribune

March 12, 2010 5:17 PM

Using a Schaumburg hotel as a base of operations, Cook County sheriff's police say they busted a prostitution ring in the northwest suburbs that flew in women from across the country.

Eight woman and a man were arrested and a "detailed ledger book of clients" was seized, according to the sheriff's office.

The investigation was launched after residents complained "about illegal activities being carried out via online services," the office said. "Undercover officers responded to some ads posted on Craigslist and Backpage, but later began using their own online ads to arrest those looking for sex."

The office said police worked out of a hotel in Schaumburg that they are not naming because of its cooperation.

"As the officers checked in, they noticed women checking in at the same time (and) suspected they might have flown into the area for illegal purposes. Just a few hours later, those very women were arrested in the sting operation. They had checked in four doors away from the officers."

Those arrested had posted ads with pictures of themselves or others, advertising "both sexual and non-sexual acts," the office said.

"Some ads included price ranges from $150 to $400 an hour for services," the office said. "Some worked for escort agencies, others for pimps, while others were operating on their own."

One of the women arrested kept records of clients with names, prices charged and contact information, the office said, adding that police were using it "to continue their investigation."

Jessica Dusablon, 21, of California, was charged with violating the massage act and had her ledger book confiscated by police.

Arrested on prostitution charges were: Bryon Blanco, 41, of Chicago, dressed as a woman; Alma Lopez, 23, of Chicago; Joyce Gipson, 19, of Lansing; Wendy Romack, 37, of Wisconsin; Brittany Brewer, 23, of Minnesota; Shawneequa Boyd, 24, of California; Kristian Branch, 28, of Elgin; Shannon Castor, 24, of Las Vegas.

The men who responded to the ads were cited for violation of Cook County's public morals nuisance ordinance.

-- Staff report

NEWS: (Chicago) City crime off 10.3% this year: cops

From Chicago Sun-Times

March 13, 2010

SUN-TIMES STAFF

Crime in Chicago dropped 10.3 percent during the first two months of the year, compared with the same period last year, police said.

There were eight fewer murders reported during January and February than during those months last year, according to preliminary statistics released Friday by the Chicago Police Department.

There was a 15.1 percent decrease in violent crime. Aggravated assaults declined by 21 percent, robberies dropped 15.3 percent, and aggravated batteries dipped 7.9 percent, police said.

Motor vehicle theft was up, however, by 8.3 percent.

NEWS: (Chicago) Makeover for cops' rule book

From Chicago Sun-Times

March 13, 2010

BY FRANK MAIN Staff Reporter

Back in 1924, the Chicago Police Department's rule book could fit in the palm of an officer's hand.

Now the rules are compiled in six ring binders -- a 16-inch stack of paper.

"It's a mess," said Rachel Johnston, director of research and development.

For the first time in 40 years, a team of officers and civilian employees is busy cleaning it up.

The team is eliminating earlier versions of general orders that have been modified over the years and removing other nonessential things such as the annual explanation of daylight-saving time.

The goal is to reduce the stack of paper by about two-thirds.

"Instead of patching things together, we are starting over," said James Hickey of research and development.

The streamlined directives will go online this fall with a better index system. Officers and supervisors can search the revised department orders on computers at home or at the police station, Johnston said.

Some things in the 1924 rulebook have never changed over the years.

Police vacations always have been called "furloughs."

And officers arriving at a crime scene always have been instructed to "render aid to the injured" before doing anything else.

Other orders have faded into obscurity, such as the 1924 rule that "linen collars shall be worn with the uniform." Or the order for sergeants to "march their commands [officers] in military order to the lieutenant's desk" after roll call.

One district sergeant hailed the project, saying he refers to the department's general orders nearly every day to instruct his officers on how to do things properly.

"I use it as a teaching tool to help the officers understand the policies regarding arrests and proper police procedure. I'll read it to them. I'll print the order. And I will go over it with them."

His one suggestion: that the department liven up the writing a bit.

"You read these general orders. and your eyes start bleeding," he said. "They're so boring."

NEWS: Evanston cop recruit says he lost job because of 'raspy voice'

From Chicago Tribune

A man has filed a discrimination suit against the city of Evanston, saying he was hired as a police cadet but fired less than two weeks later because of his "raspy voice."

Reginald Johnson was hired as a cadet on Sept. 6, 2008 and fired on Sept. 17, 2008, according to the lawsuit, filed this week in federal court.

Johnson says he was fired after an exercise where he had to shout commands to a police trainer. His suit charges that he was discriminated against because of his "hoarse or raspy sounding voice."

"If they made me go outside and holler, they should have made all the recruits go outside and holler," Johnson said in the suit.

Johnson was hired at a salary of $55,800 and passed the department's physical on Sept. 9, 2008, according to court filings.

When Police Chief Richard Eddington signed the paperwork, "he was questioning my raspy voice," Johnson said in a filing with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission attached to the lawsuit.

After Johnson passed a physical fitness test the following week, he was sent to the Evanston police station, where he first was told to shout at a machine in the station, then taken outside and told to shout at a police detective as he walked down the street, according to the suit.

Two days later, Johnson was called and told he was not being hired. When he called Eddington, the chief told him that "my voice did not project far enough," Johnson said in the filing.

The test was not objective, Johnson claims, especially since none of the other four recruits hired with him were required to perform such an exercise. Johnson says he was discriminated against and cites the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Johnson is asking for his job back, as well as the income he would have earned and other unspecified monetary damages, according to the suit.

A spokesman for the Evanston police said the department does not comment on pending litigation.

Johnson's attorney was not immediately available for comment.

--Liam Ford

NEWS: Reputed mobster Fratto arrested on bid-rigging charge

From Chicago Sun-Times

March 12, 2010

BY STEVE WARMBIR Staff Reporter

Reputed top Chicago mobster Rudy Fratto was arrested today and charged along with another man in a bid-rigging scheme on a forklift contract for trade shows at McCormick Place.

Fratto, who once described himself as a "reputed good guy," was released on $200,000 bail and ordered to home confinement this afternoon.

The charges are just the latest headache for Fratto, 66, of Darien, who was sentenced in a separate case in January to a year and a day in prison for tax evasion.

Fratto, nicknamed "The Chin," and "Uncle Rudy," was charged along with business owner William Anthony Degironemo, 66, of Inverness, with rigging a 2006 contract awarded by a trade show general contractor based in Las Vegas.

Fratto allegedly bragged about his influence in the Chicago Outfit to influence the decision of a consultant to the trade show company. The consultant had influence over the forklift contract but was also under pressure to repay money to a Cleveland organized crime family from a separate business deal, and Fratto offered to help, prosecutors said.

Duke's Blotter Live - Tonight @ 9 pm

Tonight's show will be on sex offenders and child safety. This will be a hard hitting, sobering show sex offenders, pedophiles and our kids.

NEWS: Local leaders weigh in on gun-control debate

From Pioneer Press

March 11, 2010

By PATRICK BUTLER pbutler@pioneerlocal.com

Alderman Brian Doherty, the City Council's only Republican, and nominal Democrat Mayor Richard Daley were on the same side as the U.S. Supreme Court began hearing a challenge to Chicago's gun laws, which are among the nation's most restrictive.

"I'm not totally against gun control, but to say almost nobody can register a gun in this city makes too many people criminals," said the 41st Ward alderman, adding "there are too many people, such as tavern owners, people who carry large amounts of cash, or people who live in certain neighborhoods, who need to be able to defend themselves.

"A law is bad if you have a large segment of the population breaking it on a regular basis. We've run into situations where we know" of people keeping guns they can't register.

Jefferson Park (16th) Police District Cmdr. David McNaughton declined to comment on the case, referring reporters to Chicago Police News Affairs, who in turn referred to a statement issued by Mayor Richard Daley on March 1, the day before the High Court began hearing arguments, at Police Headquarters.

"The outcome of this case could determine whether local governments around the nation have the legal authority to enact reasonable, common-sense gun laws to protect their residents," Daley said, noting that 17 friend-of-the-court briefs represent more than 150 individuals and organizations, including the American Public Health Association.

Daley said that since post-Civil War days the rights of cities and states to limit gun ownership have been recognized by the U.S. high court, but that now those rights are in jeopardy.

But opponents of the city's gun controls have said it's their 2nd Amendment right to bear arms that is imperiled today.

Chicago's 28-year-old ordinance prohibits the sale and possession of handguns to virtually anyone but law-enforcement officers and members of the military. Those who legally owned handguns at the time the ordinance was passed were allowed to keep them as long as they registered annually with the Chicago Police Department.

But not everyone opposes Chicago's "strict" gun law.

"If you're in danger you get on the phone and call 9-1-1. You call the Police Department if you see someone prowling around your community," said Jim DelMedico, a Korean War veteran and member of the 16th District Advisory Committee. "I'm a firm believer in everyone having motion detectors around their houses.

"Nine times out of 10, motion detectors will scare (intruders) off."

DelMedico said he would also have no objection to people having a dog in the house.

"They should also go back to the old method when every block had a block captain looking around," he said.

NEWS: (Red Light Camera) Hillside to add red-light cameras at Cermak, Wolf

From Pioneer Press

March 11, 2010

By DAVID POLLARD dpollard@pioneerlocal.com

Motorists driving through Hillside will have to be careful when approaching an intersection because red-light cameras will soon be set up in two locations.

By April the village plans to put up a red-light camera at Cermak Road and Wolf Road intersection and another at the Mannheim and Roosevelt Road intersection, rounding out the ones already set up by Village of Westchester on their western boundary.

Red-light cameras have created controversy with some drivers claiming it's a way for villages to make additional revenue under the guise of better traffic safety.

Hillside Police Chief Joseph Lukaszek said "public safety" is the primary reason for the red-light cameras.

"It is there to reduce traffic accidents," he said.

Lukaszek believes the cameras being installed will benefit the community overall, reducing the number of accidents as well as preventing bodily injury and fatalities.

"Our biggest issue is that I have residents saying cars are going too fast down my street," he said.

But the move may be short-lived with some state lawmakers working to end communities from using red-light cameras.

Hillside Mayor Joe Tamburino said they are moving forward and if the state says take them down, they will do so. He's also in line with the chief saying the cameras are all about safety not profit.

"They (cameras) make me a lot more cautious," he said.

Tamburino is not so much concerned about red-light cameras, but other kinds of cameras to make the area safe.

"I'm more concerned with cameras for security in areas than red-light cameras," he said. "The chief is working on that."

He said once the red-light cameras are in place those caught running red lights or making right turns without stopping will be fined about $100.

Lukaszek believes above all it will improve safety and keep police officers on the streets instead of being tied up in traffic court. "This is a good productive tool," he said.

NEWS: Maywood police fine 16 businesses for selling cigarettes to minors

From Pioneer Press

March 11, 2010

By MARIO BARTOLETTI mbartoletti@pioneerlocal.com

Maywood police sent a message to businesses recently to stop selling tobacco to minors.

Police issued $32,000 in fines to 16 of 32 Maywood businesses found to be selling to under 18-year-olds in a tobacco compliance check.

"We do this four to five times a year," Sgt. Daryl Fairley said. "The fine for violation starts at $1,000 for the first offense, multiple fines go up $1,000 each time. We had several businesses fined $2,000."

Fairley said police explorers who are under the legal age to buy tobacco attempt to buy some kind of tobacco product from a store under the guidance and surveillance of Maywood officers.

"Often kids are able to buy loose cigarettes," he said. "It's illegal for businesses to break open a pack of cigarettes, but some sell them that way because it's cheaper to buy one or two than a whole pack."

Many residents complained about underage tobacco sales at Maywood Alternative Policing Strategy (MAPS) meetings, Fairley said.

"It's a concern from the community so we're acting on that concern," chief Tim Curry said. "Citizens are involved and they voice those concerns at those meetings and at subsequent meetings we report back to residents on what we've done about the issues they've brought forth."

According to the state of Illinois Liquor Control Commission which regulates tobacco compliance, minors are not asked for an ID they buy tobacco about 75 percent of the time; when asked for an ID the rate drops to under 10 percent.

The first step to maintain compliance according to the commission is if the customer doesn't have an ID and then don't sell tobacco to them.

"Hopefully the compliance checks will deter businesses from selling to minors," Fairley said. "Or have them check ID and confirm their age and comply with the state law."

Police Blotters March 11, 2010

Click on the town your interested in.

}}Franklin Park, Northlake{{

}}Bellwood, Stone Park{{

}}Elmhurst{{

}}Forest Park{{

}}LaGrange}}

}}Elmwood Park, River Grove{{

}}Harwood heights, Norridge{{

}}Oak Park{{

}}Park Ridge{{

}}River Forest{{

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R.I.P.: Prince George County Officer dies 10 days following accident

Private First Class Thomas P. (Tom) Jensen
Prince George's County Police Department
Maryland
End of Watch: Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Biographical Info
Age: 27
Tour of Duty: 5 years, 6 months
Badge Number: 2853

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Automobile accident
Date of Incident: Saturday, February 27, 2010
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available

PFC Tom Jensen succumbed to injuries sustained 10 days earlier when he was involved in an automobile accident.

He was responding to a burglary in progress when his patrol car slid on ice and struck a utility pole at the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and University Boulevard in College Park, Maryland.

PFC Jensen was transported to Prince George's Hospital Center with severe head and neck injuries. He remained hospitalized until succumbing to his injuries.

PFC Jensen had served with the Prince George's County Police Department for 5 1/2 years. He is survived by his wife and parents.

NEWS: Red Light Camera) Cameras show mostly motorists turning right to be in the wrong

From Pioneer Press

March 10, 2010

By JENNIFER JOHNSON jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com

Park Ridge's new red-light enforcement camera is recording a lot of red-light violations -- nearly all of them for improper right turns.

According to Police Department statistics shared Monday night with the Park Ridge City Council, a total of 268 violations were recorded between Jan. 25 and March 3 by the camera at Oakton Street and Northwest Highway. Of that total, 260 involved vehicles that failed to come to a complete stop before making a right turn from westbound Oakton onto Northwest Highway, said Park Ridge Police Cmdr. David Keller. Eight violations involved a vehicle that drove straight through the red light on westbound Oakton, he said.

All violations recorded by the red-light enforcement camera are reviewed by members of the Park Ridge Police Department's Traffic Unit before tickets are issued to the vehicle's registered owner. Police did not issue tickets during the warning period, which ended March 3. Instead warnings were mailed to 156 vehicle owners and 112 violations were thrown out, said Police Cmdr. Lou Jogmen.

Violations come with a $100 fine, and the Police Department began issuing actual citations March 4. Since that date a total of 42 red-light violations were recorded, 41 of them for right turns on red, said Police Cmdr. Lou Jogmen. Following the police review, 36 tickets were issued and six violations were rejected, he said.

Third Ward Alderman Don Bach, who pushed for the city to install a red-light camera at one of its heavily traveled intersections, said having police officers review each violation will allow them to determine which vehicles blatantly violated the right turn on red and which did come to a stop before turning.

"I think they will be just as fair, if not more fair, as an officer who is at the intersection writing the tickets," Bach said.

The camera's success, he added, will be measured by the falling number of all red-light violations.

"It would be really nice if we could remove the camera in four or five months," Bach said.

Though many communities are adding red-light enforcement cameras to busy intersections -- and generating thousands, if not millions, of dollars in fines in the process -- the devices are not without controversy, partly because of the right-turn-on-red citations that are issued. Illinois state Sen. Dan Duffy, of Barrington, has made news in recent weeks for trying to get a state ban on red-light enforcement cameras approved. Duffy has said the cameras cause rear-end collisions because drivers often stop suddenly after noticing them.

NEWS: (Park Ridge) Fire chief still suspended as reason remained unknown

--There are anonymous sources on this that say he was caught at a massage parlor. They do not wish to be named because of their positions and possible retributions. Would be nice to get a confirmation from a known source--
Duke

From Pioneer Press

March 9, 2010

By JENNIFER JOHNSON jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com

Park Ridge Fire Chief Craig Gjelsten remained on paid administrative leave this week, with the reason behind the action still undisclosed.

City Manager Jim Hock said "an interrogation," the term used in the Illinois Firemen's Disciplinary Act, is scheduled for Friday during which questions will be asked of the fire chief. A meeting that had been set for last week did not take place, Hock said.

When asked if a formal investigation of Gjelsten was taking place, Hock said it is not.

The Firemen's Disciplinary Act, which Hock said is being followed in this case, sets provisions for interrogating firefighters and investigating acts of misconduct. It defines an interrogation as "questioning of a fireman pursuant to an investigation ... in connection with an alleged violation of (a local government's) rules which may be the basis for filing charges seeking his or her suspension, removal or discharge." Hock has little about the case -- particularly the reason why Gjelsten was placed on leave.

The Park Ridge Police and Fire Commission, which hears appeals on disciplinary actions handed down to specific police and fire personnel, has not been notified of Gjelsten's leave, Hock said, something Commissioner Tom Farinella also told the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate last week.

Gjelsten was placed on administrative leave Feb. 26. Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Sorensen, who was named acting chief the same day, said this week he had not heard from Gjelsten and did not know the circumstances behind his being placed on leave.

Gjelsten's city phone remained turned off this week, and a listing for his home number was disconnected.

Gjelsten became the city's fire chief in November 2008 after serving as deputy fire chief for nine years.

NEWS: Chiefs: Seasoned part-time cops contribute to staff

From Pioneer Press

March 9, 2010

Chicago suburbs structure their use of part-time officers differently.

Some communities such as Elmhurst recruit trainees into their ranks. Others, including Forest Park, recruit seasoned and often retired veterans.

Forest Park Police Chief Jim Ryan said the issue of using part-time officers mostly hinges on the details of a village's contract with their police union.

"I'd say it all depends on what their union contract is," he said. Four years into the process, Ryan said, the police union is relatively comfortable with it, despite initial concerns by full-time officers regarding loss of available overtime.

"It's a give-and-take thing," he said. "Every once and a while they feel we should have used overtime. But we work the issues out."

Ryan said the chemistry between part-time and full time officers is the critical element.

"Without a doubt," said Ryan. "You need maturity to fit in with the full-time officers."

Ryan's points were underscored by Elmhurst Deputy Police Chief Jim Doherty. Elmhurst employs 10 officers in their part-time unit, each of whom are "fully empowered to perform all police functions while on duty and to assist our full-time officers."

He called part-time officers "an added asset." Part-timers, he stressed, don't ever replaced full time police.

"They've always been a supplement to what we do," Doherty said. "We've never changed our staffing levels."

Doherty said Elmhurst recruits people who are already fully employed outside the law enforcement field. "For us it's always been about the interest and the capability of the individual (applicant)," he said.

Both Ryan and Doherty said their full and part-time officers work well together.

"There's never been a problem," Doherty said, adding that full-time officers valued the tasks their part-time colleagues perform, which frees them to do handle other police matters"

"The (full time officers) here just appreciate the heck out of them," he said.

--Bill Dwyer, Staff Writer

NEWS: River Forest police chief leaving for Connecticut

From Pioneer Press

March 9, 2010

By BILL DWYER Staff Writer

River Forest Police Chief Frank Limon is leaving the department to take the top job in New Haven, Conn.

Limon, who took over as River Forest chief on Oct. 1, 2008, will be announced as New Haven's police chief at 1 p.m. (Eastern time) news conference there.

Media reports note that Limon was selected from a field of 50 applicants, including one finalist who is a former New York City precinct captain.

Limon did not immediately return calls left on his cell phone Tuesday.

A spokesperson for New Haven Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. would say only, “I'm not in a position to talk about a new police chief until after 1 o'clock.”

Village President John Rigas did not immediately return a phone call Tuesday morning.

Village Trustee Steve Hoke confirmed Limon's departure, saying he was contacted by a New Haven paper seeking his comments on Limon.

“It's an easy story to tell,” Hoke said. “Frank was essentially brought in as a work-out specialist. His job was to fix the problem, and he fixed the problem.”

Saying he'd felt Limon was “overqualified” for the River Forest job, Hoke added, “We were lucky to have him when we had him.”

The New Haven Independent article stated that Limon “comes to town after shaking up an Illinois police department, cutting staff and crime at the same time.”

Limon will replace another police chief, James Lewis, who like himself, oversaw the re-organization of a troubled department. According to news accounts, Lewis resigned 10 days ago after 20 months. Among the challenges he faced was dealing with a narcotics unit that was closed down after some of its officers were arrested on corruption charges following an FBI sting.

NEWS: Daley trying again with gun bills in Springfield

From Clout Street (Chicago Tribune)

UPDATE 2:32 p.m. by Hal Dardic: State rifle association opposed to Daley ideas; originally posted by Hal Dardick at 1:15 p.m.

Flanked by several parents who had lost children to gun violence, Mayor Richard Daley today called for a host of new laws aimed at restricting gun sales and stiffening penalties for criminals who use them.

“I’m here to speak on behalf of families who lost loved ones,” Daley said, standing before a long series of tables topped with illegal weapons confiscated by Chicago police. “This is about common-sense gun laws — that we should be protected from all of these guns. . . . One murder is one too many.”

Although Daley announces new gun-control initiatives every year, this year’s announcement took on added significance because the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing whether to overturn the city’s handgun ban.

The Supreme Court in 2008 overturned a similar ban in Washington, D.C., and that led to “a dozen major lawsuits across the United States challenging common-sense gun laws,” including the Chicago handgun case, Daley said.

“We remain hopeful that when the court reaches its final decision in June, they will agree with us and with many others who share a belief in the right of municipalities and states to enact strict-but-balanced gun laws to keep their citizens safe,” he said.

“The aggressiveness of the gun advocates is just one reason it’s more important than ever that we work for common-sense gun laws focused on stopping the flow of illegal guns into our communities and keeping the guns out of the hands of the criminals,” Daley said.

But Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association that is a plaintiff in the Supreme Court case, said his group opposes the measures. They would not reduce crime but would make it more burdensome and costly for law-abiding citizens to obtain firearms, he said.

“It provides a smokescreen for the mayor and many of the aldermen, so they don’t have to deal with the real problems in Chicago,” Pearson said. “They are always blaming the guns and the gun owner.”

Daley backed changes to state law that would require background checks for those buying a gun in a private sale, ban assault weapons, require that gun dealers be licensed and limit the number of handgun purchases to one per person, per month.

Those were all ideas that failed to make it through previous legislative sessions. This time, the mayor also is asking the General Assembly to make it a Class 1 felony to knowingly sell a gun to a known gang member, stiffen penalties for unlawfully using a weapon and require high-tech “micro-stamping” of guns that would allow police to determine if a particular gun fired the spent ammunition found at a crime scene.

At the federal level, Daley backed reinstating an assault-weapon ban that expired in 2004, closing a loophole that has allowed criminals to buy weapons at gun shows and repealing gun manufacturers’ immunity to some lawsuits.

“I know that many people may not appreciate these proposals, especially the gang bangers and the drug dealers and the thugs who basically terrorize our communities,” Daley said. “Taken together, I believe these initiatives will reduce gun violence, not only in Chicago, in the metropolitan area in Illinois, but in the country."

Annette Nance-Holt — whose 16-year-old son, Blair Holt, was shot and killed on a bus in 2007 — asked why lawmakers don’t do more to address gun violence.

“In a day when we are more concerned with obesity and smoking and second- hand smoke . . . why are we not more concerned with our children being murdered by handguns and assault weapons,” she said. “Why are we not outraged?”

“This is not a black issue, it’s not a Hispanic issue,” she added. “It’s an American issue. These guns are out of control, and our love of guns is out of control. Are they insane, or are we insane?”

NEWS: IDOT bureau chief facing peeping Tom charges

From Chicago Sun-Times

March 9, 2010

BY CHRIS FUSCO Staff Reporter/cfusco@suntimes.com

A $103,980-a-year civil engineer with the Illinois Department of Transportation is facing misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges for allegedly peeping into windows at a northwest suburban apartment complex.

James A. Stumpner, 48, of Crystal Lake, is bureau chief of maintenance at IDOT’s District 1 headquarters in Schaumburg. Crystal Lake police arrested him around 5 a.m. Monday after officers on surveillance observed him looking into a woman’s apartment at the Skyridge apartments, near Ackman and Randall roads, according to a police news release.

Stumpner, the release stated, confessed to peering inside the apartment and also told police he looked into windows in the complex two other times. Police first responded to a complaint about a man peeping into windows at the complex on March 4, apparently prompting Monday’s surveillance.

Attempts to reach Stumpner, a 24-year-state employee, were unsuccessful. He was not at work today, and a telephone message at his home had yet to be returned.

IDOT has placed Stumpner on paid leave, pending a review of state personnel rules. Whether Stumpner could lose his job is unclear.

“As with all personnel issues, appropriate inquiry and investigation will be made,” agency spokeswoman Marisa Kollias said.

NEWS: Bribery trial could get underway today for developer

From Chicago Tribune

March 10, 2010 7:57 AM |

Opening statements are likely today in the bribery trial of developer Calvin Boender after lawyers questioned more than 30 prospective jurors Tuesday.

Boender is accused of paying for almost $40,000 in home improvements for then-Chicago Ald. Isaac "Ike" Carothers, 29th, to win his support for a large real estate development in his West Side ward.
On Tuesday, lawyers questioned two panels of prospective jurors, asking if they had any experience dealing with Chicago's zoning system or ever had contact with aldermen or Mayor Richard Daley.

Attorneys are expected to wrap up jury selection Wednesday before making their opening remarks.

-- Jeff Coen

!!! AMBER ALERT !!! (CANCELLED 03-10-10)

EDITED on March 10, 2010.

--BOYS FOUND SAFE--

From the Illinois Amber Alert

Abducted Name(s):		J-Amarcus Upchurch and Terry Antonio Smith
Date/Time Abducted:		03/09/2010 Approximately 3:30 p.m.
Location of Abduction:		1942 East Cantrell Street, Decatur

Originating Agency:		PD Decatur IL
Contact Person:		Detective James Wrigley
Phone:		217-424-2738
Fax:		217-424-2766

Photo(s):

Click here for poster with pictures

Description of Abduction:

TWO CHILDREN WERE ABDUCTED FROM 1942 EAST CANTRELL STREET IN DECATUR ILLINOIS AROUND 3:30 P M THIS AFTERNOON. J-AMARCUS UPCHURCH IS A MALE BLACK INFANT, ONE MONTH OLD, 19 INCHES LONG, 8 POUNDS, WITH BLACK HAIR AND BROWN EYES. HE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING A BLUE ONE PIECE JUMPER. TERRY ANTONIO SMITH IS A MALE BLACK, 4 YEARS OLD, 3 FEET 6 INCHES, 60 POUNDS, WITH BLACK HAIR AND BROWN EYES. HE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING A BLUE T-SHIRT AND BLUE JEANS. THE CHILDREN WERE LAST SEEN WITH TWO MALE, BLACK ADULTS, APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET 8 INCHES TALL, FACES COVERED, AND DARK CLOTHING, IN A SILVER PASSENGER CAR, WITH PARTIAL MISSOURI LICENSE U D G, REMAINDER UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS LAST SEEN TURNING ONTO A SIDE ROAD OFF OF CANTRELL STREET IN DECATUR.

Additional Details:

N/A

R.I.P.: Michigan Officer Fatally Shot, Another Wounded

fallenofficermedal
Originally uploaded by Dukes Blotter

Officer.com News

A Jackson City police officer was fatally shot early this morning, according to The Detroit Free Press.

Officer James Bonneau and Blackman Township Officer Darrin McIntosh were shot by 63-year-old Elvin Potts at approximately 12:20 a.m.

One of the officers returned fire, killing Potts, while McIntosh suffered a gunshot wound to his lower body. He was in surgery this morning and is expected to recover.

The two officers responded to an apartment in the Ashton Ridge community after the man's estranged wife reported that he had been banging on her door around 11 p.m. By the time they arrived, he was gone.

When they approached the man at his Mitchell Street home in Jackson, he began shooting at them, Undersheriff Tom Finco told the newspaper.

"There was a short struggle, he pulled the gun out and he shot," he said.

The shooting is being investigated by the Jackson County Major Crimes Task Force, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office and Michigan State Police.

The 26-year-old officer is survived by his parents, an older sister and a younger brother.

NEWS: Missing Maine Township woman identified as victim in Des Plaines River

From Examiner.com

The body that a couple discovered while kayaking in the Des Plaines River has been identified as that of a Maine Township woman missing since January 2.

Sangitagen Patel, 32, was reported missing after last being seen in the area of Ballard and Dee roads on her way to her job at a Subway restaurant in Prospect Heights.

Based on interviews with the victims' acquaintances the Cook County Sheriff's police believe the woman was contemplating suicide. No signs of trauma or foul play were found on the woman.

Police recovered jewelry and other personal property from the victim that her family was able to identify on Monday.

NEWS: (National) Mont. officer purchases food for man caught stealing

From Policeone.com

--This was a decent thing to do. Things like this happen all the time but always seem to get overshadowed by the much more glamorous headlines of the cops being accused of wrong doing.--
Duke

By Amanda Ricker

BOZEMAN, Mont. — Bozeman Police Officer Marek Ziegler was called to Van’s IGA last Friday night to check on a shoplifting report.

The 33-year-old officer has been on the Bozeman force for three years. He is a K-9 handler and works nights, from about 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

When he got to the grocery store on North Seventh Avenue, employees told Ziegler that a 32-year-old man had stuffed food and “pens, pencils, maybe markers, things for his kids” into his coat.

The officer arrested the man, cited him for theft and then released him.

But the story didn’t end there.

Ziegler had asked the man why he had been stealing.

“He was really upset,” Ziegler said this week. “Basically, he told me he’s having a hard time and can’t provide the food for his family right now, so that’s why he was stealing.”

Ziegler already had the man’s address, but asked for the man’s phone number.

“I told him, ‘Give me 15 minutes,’ and I went and got him some food.”

Ziegler ran to Wal-Mart, picked up a few frozen pizzas and delivered them to the man’s house.

“Obviously, as a police officer, I have a job to do, but we’re still human, too,” Ziegler said.

When the officer handed over the food, the man shook his hand and thanked him for understanding, Ziegler said.

And then Ziegler kept the story to himself.

However, a Chronicle reporter was at the 911 dispatch center that night. She overheard tidbits of the officer’s report that he was going to buy the man some food. The Chronicle sought out the story. Ziegler wasn’t seeking attention for his good deed.

“These guys, they just don’t really brag about things like that,” Acting Police Chief Marty Kent said. “It wouldn’t surprise me that he wouldn’t say anything.”

Ziegler shrugged off the idea that he had done something out of the ordinary.

“It’s just what we do to take care of each other,” he said.

NEWS: Daley's gun control legislation proposes 'micro-stamping' pistols, harsher penalties

From Chicago Sun-Times

March 8, 2010

BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter

Mayor Daley today unveiled his annual package of gun control legislation and denied he's "swimming upstream" at a time when the U.S. Supreme Court has signaled its intention to overturn Chicago's handgun ban.

Most of the ideas are re-treads, but there are a few new wrinkles. They include a proposal to make it a mandatory Class 1 felony to "knowingly sell or transfer a gun to a known gang member."

Daley also wants to strengthen penalties for unlawful use of a weapon so those caught carrying loaded weapons are no longer, as he put it, "let off scot-free."

Yet another mayoral proposal would require semi-automatic pistols manufactured or delivered for sale in Illinois to be capable of "micro-stamping." The technology helps law enforcement link spent ammunition with the gun used to fire it.

Todd Vandermyde, the National Rifle Association's legislative liaison in Illinois, predicted that the mayor's package would go nowhere in the Illinois General Assembly.

"The pendulum has shifted -- politically and publicly. Many of the proposals the mayor has pitched year in and year out run afoul of what the Supreme Court is going to decide -- that there's an individual right to keep and own a firearm across the nation," he said.

Vandermyde scoffed at the mayor's proposal to raise the penalty against those who sell or transfer guns to "known gang members," arguing that there is "no nexus to criminal activity."

"I'm quite used to the mayor using the Second Amendment as toilet paper. But, now they want to use the First Amendment as a doormat and the due process guarantees of the 14th Amendment as a dishrag," he said.

At a news conference at police headquarters before the usual table-full of confiscated weapons, Daley flatly denied that the U.S. Supreme Court's widely-anticipated ruling makes this year's gun legislation dead-on-arrival in Springfield.

"I'm never swimming upstream. I think I'm swimming with the stream," he said.

Annette Nance-Holt's 16-year-old son, Blair, was gunned down in 2007 when a reputed gang member opened fire on a CTA bus crowded with students on their way home from Julian High School. As shots rang out, Blair sacrificed his own life to save a friend.

Today, Annette Nance-Holt once again channeled her anguish into an emotional plea for gun control.

"In a day when we're more concerned with obesity and second-hand smoke and animal rights, why are we not concerned about our children being murdered by handguns and assault weapons. Why are we not outraged?" Nance-Holt said.

"This is not a black issue. It's not a Hispanic issue. This is an American issue. These guns are out of control and our love [for] guns is out of control. Are they insane, or are we insane?"

MOST WANTED: Corey Frierson

FBI Searches for Third Man in Bank Robbing Trio

FBI agents say they're stunned no one was hurt when First Midwest Bank in Country Club Hills was robbed just three days before Christmas. Thats when two masked men walked in to the bank brandishing what agents describe as "sub-machine gun- type weapons, commonly known as uzi's."

They say one men jumped over the counter and cleaned out a few teller drawers, while the other told bank employees and customers to lay on the floor. As they left the bank, one of the men reportedly wished everyone "Merry Christmas."

FBI agents believe that suspect is 25-year-old Corey Frierson. Since this bank robbery happened back on December 22nd, police and FBI agents have tracked down the other gunman and the suspected getaway driver. Now they're focused on finding Frierson.

Until recently, investigators say he was living with his mother in Richton Park. When they didn't find Frierson there, they went to his girlfriend's apartment in Westchester. They hit a dead end there too. The FBI's Frank Bochte says, "Based on witness statements from people living in that apartment complex, Frierson had left a couple days prior. He was last seen in a white car."

That was just a few weeks ago. However, FBI agents might not have to look to far to find Frierson. They say chances are he's hiding right here in the Chicago area. Bochte says, "We dont think he has the financial means to relocate anywhere to far from here. We believe his friends and associates are still in the area."

A ten10-thousand dollar reward is being offered for any information leading to Frierson's arrest.

Agents describe him as a black male, about six feet tall, weighing around 200 pounds, with a light complexion and freckles.

Frierson is considered armed and dangerous.

If you have any infomation, call the FBI at (312) 421- 6700.

R.I.P.: Ga. Hunter Kills Forest Service Officer

JASPER COUNTY, Ga. --

A hunter shot and killed a U.S. Forest Service officer in Jasper County, according to Forest Service officials.

Investigators said two men were hunting for coyotes using high-powered rifles and night scopes at the Ocmulgee Bluff Equestrian Recreation Area on the Oconee Ranger District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Jasper County late Friday night.

Hunter Norman Clinton Hale, 40, of McDonough mistook Christopher Arby Upton, 37, for game and shot him. Rangers identified Hale's hunting companion as Clifford Allen McGouirk, 41, of Jackson.

"After the shooting, the hunters dialed 911 and reported a hunting incident," said Stephanie Neal Johnson of the Forest Service.

The Forest Service and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division are investigating the incident.

"This is a tragic incident where the loss of a federal officer's life could have been avoided," said Steven Ruppert, apecial agent-in-charge for the Southern Region of the Forest Service. "This is a devastating loss for Chris' family, our agency, other law enforcement officers and his friends and neighbors in Monroe."

Upton is survived by his wife and a 4-year-old daughter.

R.I.P.; La. deputy shot in the head dies from injuries

Original story }}HERE{{

By PoliceOne Staff

Cpl. J.R. Searcy had a bullet lodged in his brain and another in the back of his skull

MONROE, La. — A Ouachita Parish sheriff's deputy died after being shot in the head last week on duty, WAFB.com reports.

Cpl. J. R. Searcy, 33, was on life support after being shot twice in the head. The bullets were lodged at the back of his skull and in his brain.

The shooting suspect, Michael Tanner, was being arrested for aggravated assault when he opened fire on Searcy. Tanner was shot dead by Searcy's partner soon after opening fire.

Searcy was an eight-year veteran of the force, and well-respected in his community

NEWS: Body pulled from Des Plaines River

From Examiner.com

The body of a woman was discovered by kayakers in the Des Plaines River near north suburban Glenview.

The body was discovered about a quarter-mile south of Milwaukee Avenue, said Steve Mayberry a spokesman for the Cook County Forest Preserve.

There was no identification with the body. The victim was described as a white woman in her 30's wearing a dark shirt, dark pants and gym shoes. There were no apparent signs of foul play or trauma on the woman. An autopsy is scheduled for today.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Cook County Forest Preserve police at (708) 771-1001.

NEWS: Spa owner arrested for prostitution

From Examiner.com

The ads on Craigslist offer a “licensed beautiful Asian staff giving you a warm therapeutic massage.” The Cook County Sheriff’s police say that it was a house of prostitution.

Christy Chin, 37, of Northbrook, the alleged owner of Therapy Spa at 3334 W Peterson Ave. in Chicago was charged with keeping a place of prostitution, prostitution and giving a massage without a license.

The charges are the result of an undercover operation by the Cook County Sheriff’s police in which Chin allegedly offered to perform a sex act on an undercover officer on his second visit to the spa. No offer was made on the officer’s first visit; it was made after he became a returning client.

Chin is scheduled to be in court in Skokie on April 30 and Chicago officials are looking into if the spa was properly licensed.

NEWS: Sam Banks, former 36th Ward political figure, dies

--Besides everything else he was into, for a period in the 90's he was an attorney for Northlake. I went toe to toe with him on a couple of occasions. I got along with him but he did what he had to do for his job and i did what I had to do.--
Duke

From Chicago Tribune

March 7, 2010 9:59 PM

Samuel Vincent Panebianco Banks, an attorney who for years was synonymous with influence in Chicago's 36th Ward on the Far Northwest Side, died Saturday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after a yearlong battle with cancer, his family said. He was 73.

A former Cook County prosecutor and Chicago police officer, Mr. Banks was called a powerful behind-the-scenes figure in his brother William's 36th Ward Democratic organization.

Friends remembered Mr. Banks -- who made a name for himself as a criminal defense attorney representing Mob-linked and corruption defendants -- as a presence in the courtroom who received the respect of juries and judges alike.

For about 25 years, Mr. Banks was a law partner with Robert Boyle, a high-ranking assistant with the Cook County state's attorney's office who went on to become special prosecutor in the Jon Burge police corruption investigation. Boyle died in 2007.

"He had the ability to adapt to whatever situation he was in and adapt in an appropriate way," longtime friend, attorney Daniel Pierce said.

Mr. Banks, father-in-law of State Rep. John Fritchey, used his charisma and sense of humor as a trial lawyer, Pierce said.

"He was very thorough, very competent, and had an easy way about operating within the courtroom," Pierce said. "He was a remarkably good trial lawyer.

Mr. Banks is survived by his wife of 50 years, Dorothy, son James, daughter Karen Fritchey, two granddaughters, brother, Ronald, a retired judge, William, sister Marlene Panebianco. He was preceded in death by his brother also named James.

Visitation is scheduled for 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Salerno's Funeral Home, 1857 N. Harlem Ave. A 10:30 a.m. funeral Mass was set for Wednesday at St. Giles Catholic Church, 1025 Columbian Ave., Oak Park. Burial will be private.

--William Lee

NEWS: Chicago taxpayers on hook for 444 percent more in government pensions than decade ago, report says

From Chicago Tribune (Clout Street)

Posted by Bob Secter at 12:01 a.m.

If the state’s chronic employee pension problems aren’t bad enough, a new report says that every Chicago resident is on the hook for 444 percent more in unfunded retirement pledges to public workers than a decade ago.

The watchdog Civic Federation said today that the funding deficit for the 10 largest Chicago-area public pension funds soared from $3.4 billion in 1998 to $18.5 billion in 2008, the last year for which figures are available.

The shortfall doesn’t mean that public worker retirees are in danger of getting shorted on pensions. On the contrary, promised benefits are guaranteed by the Illinois Constitution, so if the retirement pool runs dry someday, payment for vital services in the city, Cook County and other local bodies might have to take a back seat to bankrolling retirees.

“The status quo of benefit enhancements and insufficient pension contributions must not continue,” said Msall. “The only responsible option for our local governments is to work with the General Assembly to take action immediately to implement reforms.”

The funding problem is deepening even as state finances are tanking, in great measure due to huge debts owed to pension funds operated by the state for downstate and suburban teachers, government workers, judges and lawmakers. The bottom line is that it will be almost impossible in the current financial climate for lawmakers to ride to the rescue of local governments struggling to meet fiscally sound commitments to pension funding.

For decades, both local and state pension funds have failed to set aside enough money to cover long term obligations.

The local pension fund in the worst shape is the one covering Chicago firemen, which in 2008 possessed only 27 percent of the assets it needed to cover long term promises to retirees, the federation found. The common benchmark for deeming a pension fund financially sound is when it has enough assets on hand to cover 90 percent of projected long term retirement benefits it must pay out.

The retirement fund for Chicago policemen had just under 35 percent of the assets it needed to cover long term liabilities, the federation said. Slightly ahead was the Chicago municipal worker’s fund, with less than 45 percent of the assets it needed. The Cook County workers retirement fund had nearly 55 percent of what it needed, and the Chicago teachers pension fund had assets equal to 75 percent of what it needed.

Meanwhile, the retirement pot for CTA workers was funded in 2008 at 66 percent of what it needed, the federation found. But that was a marked improvement for a fund that only a few years before appeared headed for insolvency because of years of underfunding as well as investment losses. Reforms imposed by the legislature two years ago requiring CTA employees to carry a bigger share of the load for funding retirement and health care benefits helped the pension fund rebound.

NEWS: Quinn wants to cut funding for cities, villages, pensions and state police

From Clout St (Chicago Tribune)

Posted by Monique Garcia at 5:00 p.m.

As Gov. Pat Quinn prepares to deliver his annual budget address on Wednesday, his office is warning that cities and towns will get less money from the state while some taxpayers will be asked to give more.

David Vaught, Quinn’s budget director, said today that municipalities across Illinois must “share the pain” by giving up a portion of income tax revenues the state typically shares. Instead of getting 10 percent, which amounts to about $1 billion a year, municipalities would receive 7 percent under Quinn’s plan. That's about a $300 million cut.

“You need to take a look and say OK, does everybody have skin in the game here?” Vaught said. “It just doesn’t make sense that the municipalities would get a pass.”

Quinn's plan is likely to be a non-starter with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and many of his suburban counterparts because a cut in state funding would blow holes in local budgets.

Vaught also said taxpayers should "expect" Quinn to propose a tax increase again in his Wednesday speech, but he declined to offer specifics.

“He’s been very consistent about saying this is one of the things we have to do,” Vaught said. “What we see in the budget proposal this year is that it represents the reality and consequences of not doing it last year, because the hole is deeper and the problem is getting worse.”

Lawmakers in both parties are tepid at best when it comes to an income tax increase, especially in an election year.

Quinn has used the last several weeks to try to outline just how severe state’s money woes are, posting preliminary budget numbers online nearly two weeks ago that include $2 billion in cuts, though Republicans say that doesn’t go far enough when the state is facing a nearly $13 billion deficit.

The Illinois State Police is facing a $26 million cut, which would mean a reduction in patrols, Vaught said today.

“If you want to blame us for the cuts, fine, but blame doesn’t get you anywhere,” Vaught said. “Our job is to try to get this budget in balance, so we’re going to have to do it. What gets you somewhere is talking about the solution, so that’s what we say to the legislators, can we talk about a solution to this problem?”

Vaught also said the Quinn administration does not plan to make the full $4.1 billion employee pension payment this year because the governor is confident proposed reforms will pass the General Assembly that will ultimately save the state money. Instead, the state will pay $3.8 billion, $300 million less than required.