BOARD OF DIRECTORS Keith R. George President Richard Tracy ie Brnsident Joha B Wed Reymond Violeto Tren Joba Haley Direaor Make Wolenberg Diretor ‘Michael Marin Dirator ‘cues COUNSEL Joseph Mazzone cO-COUNSEL Richasd Reimer ‘Steven Caleaters STAFF COUNSEL Ketch Karon Haran Deacon Thomas Ross Metropolitan Alliance of Polio 10/27/20 Mokens, HL 60448 Re: Mokena Patrol MAP Chapter #732/ Vote of No Confidence Department, we respectfully request that you accent this letter as our formal ‘Rotification that we have overwhelmingly approved a Vote of No Confidence in Mokena Police Chief Steven Vaccaro. Out of 26 votes cast regarding the Vote of No Confidence, 25 votes yes and one ballot was not returned. This was far from an easy decision for us to reach but the situation in our department with Chief Vaccaro in a leadership position has become untenable. This is due to a variety of factors but the most prominent ones are a lack of integrity on his part, his, numerous derogatory remarks about female officers, and plummeting morale. First, the lack of integrity on Chief Vaccaro’s part. A prominent example we can provide is when the Chief decided to extend two probationary officers’ probationary petiods in September of 2016. He initially called one officer in the day before his probationary period ended and told him.that he had consulted sith the Mokena Police } Comraission (as required by our union contrict). Hé then explained to the Union: Board that the Chief and the Police Comrnission had all reached the conclusion, together to extend his probationary period by an additional ninety days. The Chief concluded this meeting by telling the probationary officer to explain the same information to the other probationary officer instead of notifying the second officer himself. The officer in question then contacted Officer Payne (who was the union steward at the time) and explained the situation to him. Officer Payne then contacted the village hall to get contact information for the Mokena Police Commission to speak with them regarding the matter. While waiting for a retum call Officer Payne had a ameeting with Chief Vaccaro where he stated that he had consulted with the Police Commission regarding the matter and the Commissioners had agreed with him to extend the probationary period of the probationary patrol officers. Officer Payne then spoke with Commissioner Braman via telephone shortly afterwards and was shocked 215 Remington Boulevard Suite C+ Bolingbrook, TL 604 Phone; 630/759-4925 - Fax: 630/759-19 ‘E-maik apunion@ran.com * wersnapuion,2 October 27, 2020 to learn that Commissioner Brannan was unaware of any probation extension, stating * ‘that Chief Vaccaro had never discussed the matter with him or any of the other BOPF ‘Commissioners. The following day Chief Vaccaro called in Officers Payne and Selin na union capacity and explained that he had changed his mind and that the two officers wouldn't have their probation extended. “Another example of Chief Vaecaro’s lack of integrity was shown when he was caught jying during a grievance. While discussing the grievance MAP attomey Marzullo asked Chief Vaccaro how many of the departmental Lexipol policies had been vetted by the Sergeants during implementation of the police policies and the Chief immediately replied that the Sergeants had vetted all of the policies. Marzullo clarified ‘tat all the Lexipol policies bad been vetted by the Sergeants and Chief Vaccaro reiterated thaf they had. Union leadership tier brought up the fact that they had ti all the Sergeants prior to the meeting and asked if they had been irivolved ise vetting the Lexipol policies. Ix was leatned want who Sorgeams the front Une Supervisors responsible for patrol officers following the policies, had only vetted ‘about 20 policies out of the approximately 130 policies implemented. This was then told to the Chief who stated that he was being “misunderstood” and what he bad meant to say was the Sergeants had only vetted some of the policies. ‘The most recent example of Chief Vaccaro’s lack of integrity was shown during the Police and Fire Commission hearing into the reinstatement of Commander Carlson. ‘While being questioned under oath by Commander Carlson’s attomey Chief Vaccaro vwas asked about ordering officers to go to the Village Attomey’s office to sec him. Chief Vaccato stated under oath in the open hearing that he had not ordered anyone to go and see the Village Attomey. This was immediately proven to be false when an ¢- mail was produced by Commander Carlson's attorney which showed the Chicf ordering Sergeant Keller to see Mr. Buck. It wes also brought up by numerous other officers that Chief Vaccaro had ordered them to go and meet with Mr. Buck which former female officers. These demeaning officers. The first comment brought to the Union’s attention was when Chief Vaccaro stated to a female officer that he was unhappy with her job performance. Chief ‘Vaccaro pointed out to this officer that she receives a stipend in addition to her yearly salary. Chief Vacearo then told her, “...you're a single mother and you need this job.” ‘Another incident ooourred in January 2017 when Chief Vaccaro called in Officer Payne (acting as the union steward) and began discussing another female officer who had recently been hired. Chief Vaccaro immediately began to describe the female -officer in very masculine terms stating that she had a “...firm handshake” while smirking and winking one eye to Officer Payne. Tt was Officer Payne’s impression that Chief Vaccaro was implying that he, Chief Vaccaro, thought the female officer was a lesbian and was trying to get Officer Payne to either agree with him or laugh. Officer Payne refused to do so and pointedly asked Chief Vaccaro what he was3 ‘October 27, 2020 implying. Chief Vaccaro became extremely nervous and immediately changed the subject. reais al sag a Gt Ty Chie Vara referred to two female officers as “cunts” during a staff meeting with the entire command staff present and we ask you to investigate this matter. Furthermore, Officers Payne and Selin were discusting the need for further departmental refresher ‘raining on handouffing techniques with the Chief. Chief Vaccaro asked what was the impetus for tis training and it was explained to him that an officer recently had been observed having difficulties executing this skill set in the field. Chief Vaccaro immediately said, “Whet’s her name?” This showed that Chief Vaccaro assumed the officer in question was a female despite not knowing the officer's name or gender. Finally, thé issue of plummeting morale. Officers with twenty-seven or more years of seniority have commented they have not seen the morale sink this low at the Mokena Police Department during the sdminiswations of eliher Cnier rounck or Gnicr ‘Rajewski. One of the effects of low morale that has manifested itself's the Police Department’s inability to retain new officers. Since Chief Vaccaro assumed command in March 2014 he has hired twelve new officers. Six of these officers are no longer ‘with our department, with many of them directly stating that the chief's lack of leadership ability was a direct reason for their departure. Two of the six officers who left were the officers Chief Vaccaro had tried to extend the probations of without first consulting with the Mokena BOPFC. Both stated to other officers that they were leaving because of the way they had been treated by Chief Vaccaro. The other example of plummeting morale can be shown by the fact that numerous officers with extensive time on the job are actively looking for employment elsewhere instead of staying with the department. Chief Vaccaro’s lack of interpersonal skills and being ‘caught in mmmerous untruths make it impossible for him to effectively communicate with officers and gain their trust and loyalty. Chief Vaccaro has no problem with offering criticism of other’s performance but appears to not be able to accept that same constructive criticism of himself. An example of this was when he was speaking with the union leadership regarding the fact that officers were unhappy with several decisions that he had made. Chief Vaccaro’s response to this was to tell said leadership, “...if patrol officers think they have it bad here Tean make things alot worse for them.” This statement shows a complete lack of leadership and empathy. Coupled with the retaliatory end vindictive implications of that statement it is not difficult to see why the morale has reached rock bottom. It is also noteworthy to document that when all the patrol officers were spoken to about having a Vote of No Confidence, several officers were afraid to vote for the Motion. These officers stated that they did not feel that Chief Vaccaro was doing an effective job as Chief, and was a poor leader at best, but that they also feared retaliation from Chief Vaccaro if they voted against him. Chief Vaccaro has also made several decisions which demonstrate a severe lack of ‘common sense. The first example was when a citizen’s son was having issues with owing money to a drug dealer for heroin. Chief Vaccaro became involved, apparently4 October 27, 2020 as he had some type of relationship with the family. Chief Vaccaro then brought up at a staff meeting that he was going to make arrangements for the son to drop money off at the police department to a Sergeant and that Sergeant would make sure the money ‘was picked up by the drug dealer whom the money was owed to. Upon finding this out, all of the Sergeants present immediately told Chief Vaccaro that no Sergeant or officer would act in any capacity to facilitate any type of illegal drug transactions. ‘The seoond example of a lack of good decision making occurred in November of 2018 when police officers were dispatched to a trustee’s home regarding an open door. Upon entering the residence they located Chief Vaccaro inside the home in civilian clothes with no radio or ballistic vest on and with an unholstered firearm. Officers also noticed that they could detect the odor of alcohol on Chief Vaccaro. Officers stated their greatest concem was that they were never notified that he would be at the residence searching it and officers may have shot him thinking be was a burglar. Chief Vaccaro bas also shown a desire to launch investigations against his own officers without going through the proper procedures, He has recently launched to jnternal investigations concerning two Sergeants whom were merely doing their duty. ‘The first occurred when he started an internal investigation concerning @ Sergeant without an affidavit signed by the complaining citizen. This is in violation of Iinois state law. At the conclusion of said investigation he then provided a paper to the Sergeant which exonerated the Sergeant. When the Sergeant stated that he now had documentation in his personnel file concerning a citizen complaint that was not properly hnndled (and should never have been in his fle in the first place due to procedure and law being violated) Chief Vaccaro denied launching an investigation despite his own memorandum proving otherwise. On another occasion Chief Vaccaro initiated an intemal investigation on a Sergeant and that Sergeant’s handling of a call where that Sergeant ended up leaving town to ‘iransport a suicidal subject to Silver Cross Hospital. Over the course of an hour the ‘Sergeant was able to gain rapport and compliance from a combative uncooperative suicidal male who initially stated, was going to physically fight with officers and ‘paramedics rather than go to the hospital for an evaluation. The Sergeant was able to fit get the subject to calm down and talk and then the subject volunteered to go to the hospital without force having to be used. The subject would only go to the hospital without a physical altercation if that Sergeant would drive him there, as the subject said he only trusted that Sergeant. The Sergeant coordinated with the shift consisting of three officers. The Sergeant had two officers remain in town to handle calls and the third officer followed the Sergeant to the hospital in the event the subject became violent daring the trip to Silver Cross. The two officers remaining in town were advised that should any calls come out in which they needed assistance they were to contact the surrounding agencies for assistance. The subject was transported without ‘incident to the hospital for a psychological evaluation. The Commander interviewed the officers present and concluded the Sergeant acted in good faith and that rather than an internal investigation the Chief should be writing up an award for that Sergeant.5 October 27, 2020 ‘The previously given examples are only a small portion of the issues that both the patrol officers and Sergeants have with Chief Vaccaro’s leadership. ‘We have no faith in his commitment to our department and the Jaw enforcement professionals that work for it, and we have become convinced that he places his personal interests above all ‘other considerations. There is no possibility for him to repair his relations with the ‘patrol officers or Sergeants and we have reached the unfortmate conolusion that he can no longer lead our department. In closing please now that the Patrol Officers and Sergeants of the Mokena Police Department are dedicated public servants who regularly risk their own safety for the community and citizens of the Village of Mokena. However, due to the serious nature of our concems with Chief Vaccaro, we felt compelled to take this difficult action and. conduct this vote and submit this letter and results of the vote to you. Our interest is to safeguard this community and its citizens, and the only way to do that is to ensure that the Police Department is led by somebody with integrity, morality and the ability to foster positive morale and loyelty in the Mokena Police Department. Sincerely, ‘The members of MAP Chapter #732 and the Mokena Patrol Sergeants - Mokena