NEWS: Jury awards $1 million to DuPage deputy in promotion dispute

--Even in counties outside Crook County politics goes on.--
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Story at Chicago Tribune

Woman alleged Sheriff John Zaruba passed her up for promotion because of political feud

By Christy Gutowski
Chicago Tribune reporter
9:41 AM CST, February 12, 2013

A federal jury has returned a $1 million verdict for a DuPage County deputy who alleged Sheriff John Zaruba unfairly passed her up for a promotion because of politics.

The jury agreed the sheriff's decision to promote a deputy who ranked lower than Susan J. Lakics on a 2006 sergeant's test was political retaliation. The federal panel, though, rejected Lakics' claim of sexual discrimination.

Lakics, a 16-year sheriff's department employee, filed the discrimination lawsuit in November 2009. She alleged less qualified candidates were promoted and that her performance reviews were downgraded because of a 1998 feud between Zaruba and her husband, Steve, a former West Chicago mayor.

The former political allies, both Republicans, argued over the sheriff's plans to operate a program for young offenders in West Chicago, the suit alleges. Afterward, the Lakics no longer supported Zaruba politically.

The sheriff's appointed merit board administers promotional tests. Those results are combined with scores from job reviews. For most municipal police departments — but not sheriff's departments — state law requires they promote off the list in order of top scorers.

While Zaruba at times did promote in order, a 2011 Tribune investigation found deputies who gave time or money to his political campaign were more likely to be promoted. If disciplined, they also were less likely to face harsh punishment.

Zaruba testified in a deposition that he doesn't recall why Lakics wasn't promoted but said promotions are given to those "best qualified by their skills, knowledge and ability to take whatever sergeant position" is open.

Lakics blamed it, in part, on political favoritism, which she testified in a deposition was a "well-known fact" in the office.

"If you don't contribute to the sheriff's campaign, (you) won't go too far," she testified.

The county plans to appeal the verdict, said Paul Darrah, a DuPage County state's attorney spokesman.

Neither Zaruba or Lakics responded to a request for comment.