HANKS ATTACK ON POLICE DEPARTMENT MAY COST TAXPAYERS

OPINION EDITORIAL |Mayor David Hanks wants you to believe he is the "law and order" mayor, but his attack on the Sauk Village Police Department has put taxpayers at huge financial risk.  On the heels of a vote of No Confidence by the ranks and file Sauk Village Fraternal Order of Police earlier in 2015 and the abrupt departure of former Chief of Police Timothy Holevis, Hanks seems to have been waging war in retaliateion against the Sauk Village Police Department for having no confidence in his leadership.  Following Holevis' "retirement" announcement, he refused to allow Rebecca Sailsbery, the duly sworn Deputy Chief of Police to serve as "interim" Chief at the time, and had his political lackey and former  Cook County jail warden JW Fairman, serving as the defacto "chief of police".  Sauk Village faces serious liability stemming from a lawsuit filed by Aisha Michel, mother of a teenage boy,  who was allegedly was arrested and during said arrest the officer had to use less than lethal force upon the teenager following his arrest on July 14, 2015, during JW Fairman's tenure as "Public Safety Director". 

In a Federal lawsuit filed by the by Michel, the lawsuit wrongfully and erroneously claims that “there is no existing

Excerpt from Hanks' Article in September, 2015 Sauk Talk

Departmental General Orders specifically detailing the use of Tasers for the Sauk Village Police Department”.  The suit specifically cites a libelous Mayor David Hanks “Sauk Talk” article where Hanks put the Village in direct liability for this lawsuit by falsely claiming that the Village had no Taser policy in place and then attacked former Chief Timothy Holevis and former Chief Rebecca Sailsbery for being “remiss in their responsibilities…” 

Let’s point out the painfully obvious David Hanks!  You’re public attack on the Sauk Village Police Department has put the TAXPAYERS  and the Village’s Insurance carrier AT RISK!  Furthermore, Mr. Meathead “Mayer”,  as Harry S. Truman said “the buck stops here…”!  You were on the Village Board of Trustees from 1999 until your ascension as “mayer” in November, 2012.  If you knew the Village’s General Orders were not updated since 2005, as you wrongly stated in your venomous and libelous article of September, 2015, then why the hell did you not make immediate changes when you ascended the “throne” in November, 2012?  Why because you know that is a damn lie!

The village has had a Taser Policy dating back to the Cora Beem era when she served as Chief of Police, and you were on the Village Board then too.  You should know that King David!  But now your libelous article has put the taxpayers of Sauk Village at extreme risk!  How does that make the taxpayers “fill” as David Hanks would say?  Pretty empty in the pocket book I say is how you’re “feeling”!

If anyone would like a copy of the lawsuit filed, email me (SaukVillager@gmail.com)!  It’s 22 pages of liability courtesy of David Hanks himself!  Shame on you for causing this to happen to the taxpayers of Sauk Village!

I say GOOD JOB to the Sauk Village Police Officer for not shooting the young man killing him dead!  There is a reason for less than lethal force and when it should be used, herein is a good example in my opinion!

Oh by the way, Sauk Village PD still does use tasers!  As to the lawsuit, the family may have hit the LOTTO BABY courtesy of David Hanks (the Mayor of the village) stupid, vindictive, libelous and venomous attack upon the Sauk Village Police Department .  You want a history lesson on the Hanks family and the Sauk Village Police Department… I could write you a book!

NOTE:  There are two other Federal actions filed by Police Department personnel against David Hanks for his retaliatory actions against them.

HANKS WANTS TO WHITE WASH CRIME REPORTING

DAVID A. HANKS

by Sauk Village Voice
SAUK VILLAGE |So now the Administration of David Hanks appears to be trying to “white wash” the truth about crime in Sauk Village!  A woman was shot in her home and her baby died this week, and Hanks has his so called “Public Safety Director” JW Fairman, who was hired as an “employee” but yet paid as an “independent contractor”, makes one wonder why but that’s another story and another investigation later, I digress.

Fairman reported to the Village Board on December 8^th that crime has gone down a “projected 64.6% in 2015”, his words not mine.  There is a very simple explanation to why this is likely the case.  Sauk Village Police Department’s old reporting software, New World implemented in 2007, was completely down and not online for many months in 2015.  Police officers were forced to do police reports manually in some cases.  Now several officers report many communication problems with the Village’s dispatch center CalCom who is based out of Calumet Park Illinois.  Additionally many have complained that the CAPERS (computer aided dispatch) software the village will invest thousands of dollars in order to communicate with CalCom has not been working.

Fairman apparently questions the Uniform Criminal Reports made by the Sauk Village Police Department to the Federal Bureau of Investigations UCR.  Fairman stated in his report posted by David Hanks on December 14^th “The question is; are Sauk Village’s reported UCR crime real or contrive”?

Former Chief of Police Timothy Holevis had his say about the matter in a brief interview.  “Uniform Crime Reporting is taken directly from the daily computer records.  It takes hours to report manually since requests were sent to the mayor (David Hanks) who failed to update the important computer programs making it more simplistic to report UCR” Holevis said.

Fairman also goes on to say “We did a precursory assessment of reported major UCR crime in 2014.  It was determined that reporting numbers were erroneous.  We did not determine why”.  Holevis responded to this categorically denying that the numbers from 2014 were wrong.  “Compare the official police reports to UCR, it will all match.  I refused to do anything illegal.  How do you not report a murder” Holevis said.  “If they aren’t entering UCR manually, then they’re not doing it correctly.  Sauk Village does not have a computer program that reports it automatically.  It should take him several hours to report UCR and domestic violence reporting” Holevis said.  Holevis said that for a two year period during the time Former Chiefs Frank Martin (2010) and Robert Fox (2011 to 2012) UCR reporting was not done at all. “The Village was threatened several times with revocation of the use of UCR because of all that” Holevis said.

“For the first 8 months, prior to Chief Kowalski’s arrival major UCR crime averaged 22.9 crimes a (sic) month, after Chief Kowalski’s arrival major UCR crime averaged 6.5 crimes a month a difference (or reduction of 69.9%” according to Fairman.  Hanks has his Chief of Police chasing Senior Citizens away from the microphone, like his predecessor did, during Village Board meetings instead of applying for grants and doing his job, fighting crime!  What Fairman and Chief Robert Kowaski did not report to the Village Board is that for the last 3 weeks there have been on average 1 to 2 cars stolen per day in Sauk Village.  But they would want you to believe crime is down in Sauk Village!  This is nothing but a white wash job Sauk Village.  Give me a break!

UCR Crime Statistics can be found here :  CLICK LINK

HANKS SHOULD RESIGN... NOW!

OPINION EDITORIAL
by Sauk Village Voice

Never before in the history of the Village has a mayor openly criticized his own Police Chief that he himself appointed and other village employees.  David Hanks took the opportunity to criticize former Chief of Police Tim Holevis and current Police Sergeant Rebecca Sailsbery at his meet the mayor event this month claiming they were "destroying the village".

First, David Hanks seems to forget that he appointed Holevis Chief of Police and sang his praises at that time.  In a post on (September 17, 2013) David Hanks’ Facebook page, you know the one he said he never goes on, Hanks said:

Mayor David Hanks considers the appointment a much needed boost for the morale of the department as well as a feeling of stability for the community. Restoring Pride and Progress is a daily battle. Chief Holevis and the entire Police Department have the support of the Mayor and the Board of Trustees to do whatever is needed to provide safety to our residentsMayor David Hanks considers the appointment a much needed boost for the morale of the department as well as a feeling of stability for the community. Restoring Pride and Progress is a daily battle. Chief Holevis and the entire Police Department have the support of the Mayor and the Board of Trustees to do whatever is needed to provide safety to our residentsMayor David Hanks considers the appointment a much needed boost for the morale of the department as well as a feeling of stability for the community. Restoring Pride and Progress is a daily battle. Chief Holevis and the entire Police Department have the support of the Mayor and the Board of Trustees to do whatever is needed to provide safety to our residentsMayor David Hanks considers the appointment a much needed boost for the morale of the department as well as a feeling of stability for the community. Restoring Pride and Progress is a daily battle. Chief Holevis and the entire Police Department have the support of the Mayor and the Board of Trustees to do whatever is needed to provide safety to our residents

“M””Mayor David Hanks considers the appointment (of Tim Holevis) a much needed boost for the morale of the department as well as feeling of stability for the community.  Restoring Pride and Progress is a daily battle.

Chief Holevis and the entire Police Department have the support of the Mayor and Board of Trustees to do whatever is needed to provide safety to our residents”

How does one go from pouring praise upon your own appointee to destroying the police department’s morale and telling the residents of Sauk Village that Holevis and Sailsbery were “destroying the village”.  Oh and now there is no crime in Sauk Village since Holevis left and crime is dramatically down?  Really?  I hope he can smell what he's shoveling!

Second, Hanks has attacked Trustees who do not agree with his political dogma or ask him questions calling them "lazy" and wanting to be "spoon fed".  Hanks stated at a village meeting he wants residents to be arrested and removed from meetings if they go over an arbitrary 3 minute time limit.  Hanks continues to disrespect residents, village employees and Village Trustees whenever the mood strikes him.  He is more concerned about people who talk about him than about moving the village forward.

Third, Hanks is a coward and uses his three Bobble Head trustees Rosie Williams, Lynda Washington and Ed Myers to do his bidding.  Hank’s actions cost him two of his Bobble Heads in April, 2015 and many residents who once supported Hanks and his coalition have abandoned him and realized that he is not what he portrayed himself to be in 2013.  He is a proven LIAR and a hypocrite! 

Now the Village faces a multi-million dollar lawsuit as a result of Hanks’ reckless actions and the residents of Sauk Village will be left to pick up the tab long after Hanks is gone in 2017.  David Hanks you should do the taxpayers of Sauk Village a big favor and give them an early Christmas gift... RESIGN NOW!  But you are too  arrogant and self centered to do that, but the time is now to begin the calls for Hanks’ resignation!  The time is now for residents to begin the process of telling the remaining three Bobble Heads your time is up!  2017 cannot come soon enough, but the time is now for the Bobble Heads to say David Hanks you’re a proven LIAR, we can no longer follow an arrogant liar, self serving hypocrite and misogynistic megalomaniac who is costing taxpayers money by his words and actoins!  But that would take one thing that those three bobble heads clearly do not have!  Integrity!

HANKS AND SOME VILLAGE OFFICIALS ACCUSED OF RETALIATION - EEOC CHARGES FILED

DAVID HANKS (left) and Village Attorney Mike McGrath

by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  Deputy Chief of Police Rebecca Sailsbery a 23 year veteran of the Sauk Village Police Force has filed an action with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, required before a Federal lawsuit can be filed, claiming she is being retaliated and discriminated against by Mayor David Hanks, Administrator JW Fairman and other Village officials.

Following the abrupt retirement and resignation of former Chief Timothy Holevis, Sailsbery has been blocked from being sworn-in as "acting/interim chief" which should have happened automatically according to the department's general orders until a new Chief was appointed.  Instead Hanks ordered Sailsbery to assume the duties but not the position or title.  Sailbury argues that it is because she had previously won an EEOC complaint and the Village settled with her, Holevis and former employee Lisa Gibbons.  Gibbons was "layed off" and not recalled despite the Village having several opportunities and hires since her so called layoff.  In 2010, during the administration of Lewis Tower when former Chief of Police Frank Martin was terminated, Holevis was sworn-in as "acting/interim" Chief of Police.  Holevis at that time was not the deputy chief but the senior Sergeant on the day shift.

Apparently the discrimination and retaliation did not end there according to the complaint.  Gibbons has already filed another EEOC complaint against the Village.

Hanks, according to the supplement to the EEOC complaint, violated the Police Department Chain of Command, posted a notice that Sailsbury would remain Deputy Chief "until further notice" while all other police officers would retain their positions, violated the Police Officers Bill of Rights as an investigation was conducted without notification.  Finally the supplement to the EEOC complaint states that Hanks "traditional" views of women in the workforce are frowned upon and are expected to wear skirts instead of pants.

Sailsbury has stated she did apply to become chief of police.  According to Hanks 24 people have applied for the position.  Hanks appointed Fairman along with Trustees Rosie Williams and Cecial Tates to serve as a committee to search for a Chief of Police.  "We have yet to have a formal meeting with all of us present" Tates said.  According to Tates they were given each candidates resumes and asked to rank each candidate.  None of the results were shared with other committee members according to Tates.  "Not like any committee I had ever been on when you never meet to discuss anything" Tates said.

"According to the Mayor he gets to make the appointment the Village Board vote doesn't matter" Tates said.  "He has made that quite clear when it came to appointing committees and the courts already ruled on this same matter with former Village employees which the village is still in litigation over.  So let's just cut out the nonsense and move forward" Tates said.

Hanks has made no public comment regarding the EEOC complaint which was filed in earlier of this year.

SAILSBERY SWORN-IN AS DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE

by Joseph Wiszowaty

SAUK VILLAGE |  Rebecca Sailsbery was sworn-in as Deputy Chief of Police once again last week privately and formally Tuesday night during the Village Board of Trustees meeting.  Sailsbery previously had served as Deputy Chief of Police from 2007 to 2010 and Interim Chief of Police from October 2010 to December, 2010.

Sailsbery has been serving as the Department’s Administrative Sergeant since 2010 through the tumultuous times of former Chief Frank Martin, who had the shortest tenure in Sauk Village history.  Also, during the 18 months of Tim Holevis as “acting” Chief of Police, the temporary Chief of Police Robert Fox from November, 2011 to November 1, 2012 when the Fire Chief Al Stoffregan became the defacto Chief of Police after the Village Board eliminated the Chief of Police position to prevent Lewis Towers from keeping Fox.  Holevis was then appointed Deputy Chief of Police until after the election in 2013 when the reinstated the position of Chief of Police. 

Mayor David Hanks hired an outside firm to find a Chief of Police in 2013, then reversed course suddenly and appointed Tim Holevis, a 28 year veteran of the Department and Sergeant as Chief of Police.  Hanks then used the firm to conduct a search for a Deputy Chief, despite the fact that the Department had qualified internal candidates.  In the end Sailsbery was the one that the firm recommended, however, the appointment has taken over 1 year to become a reality.

Sailsbery was hired by the Sauk Village Police Department in April, 1993 and served as a Patrol Officer until 2000 when she was promoted to Juvenile Investigator where she worked closely with the Sauk Village Schools and assisted in managing the now defunct Police Cadet program.  In 2002, Sailsbery was promoted to Sergeant, elected as union representative and also to the Sauk Village Police Pension Board.  In 2007 she was appointed Deputy Chief of Police by former Chief of Police Tom Lacheta and was served on the Village’s 9-1-1 Board.

Sailsbery has recently completed her Masters Degree in Public Administration from Governors State University and also a Bachelorette Degree in Law Enforcement Management from Calumet College of St. Joseph. 

“I’m very happy to serve the people of Sauk Village for the last 21 years and I’m proud to be a member of the Sauk Village Police Department” Sailsbery said. 

Details of Salisbury’s employment agreement were available Tuesday night.

VILLAGE SETTLES FEDERAL DISCRIMINATION SUITS

by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |   The Village Board of Trustees approved settlements for Chief of Police Timothy Holevis and Sergeant Rebecca Sailsbery Tuesday night.

Lawsuits filed in Federal Court stem from discrimination allegations filed naming former Mayor Lewis Towers and former Village Trustee Enoch Benson.  The lawsuits were filed separately by attorney Patrick Walsh of Elliot Zinger and Associates of Chicago.

The settlements, according to Mayor David Hanks will give a cash payment of $103,000 to Holevis and $65,000 to Sailsbery.  Additionally, the Village will "continue negotiations with Sailsbery" to appoint her Deputy Chief of Police.  The Village taxpayers will be on the hook for the first $100,000 according to the terms of the Village's insurance carrier.

Holevis was appointed Chief of Police by Hanks last year, but still does not have a contract with the village identifying his term of employment.  Under Illinois law, the Chief of Police is appointed by the mayor, with the advice and consent of the Village Board; however, as demonstrated by Towers the mayor has extraordinary powers to appoint whomever he wants without approval of the Village Board provide a position is open.

Sailsbery was identified as the top candidate for Deputy Chief by the REM Group who was brought in to perform loss mitigation by the Village's insurance carrier.  REM was later paid by the Village to search for a Chief of Police, once Hanks appointed Holevis they were requested to search for a Deputy Chief.  REM identified Sailsbery as the top Deputy Chief of Police candidate, however, she has yet to be formally appointed.  Sailsbery previously has served as Deputy Chief of Police up until the controversial appointment of Frank Martin was approved in 2010.

Holevis, Sailsbery and now former Village employee Lisa Gibons filed a joint federal lawsuit, charging among other things discrimination against the Village during Martins brief tenure as Chief.  The Village settled this action for several hundred thousand dollars.