THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2007
Cops Accused Of Assault, Cover-Up In Federal Lawsuit
By TODD WESSELL
Journal & Topics Editor
Shocking accusations against the Park Ridge Police Dept. surfaced this week with the filing of a federal lawsuit alleging that a local teenager was beaten by police and then steps taken to cover-up the conduct.
The lawsuit, filed on Oct. 26 in U.S. District Court, alleges that the City of Park Ridge through the police department encourages the belief among some of the accused officers "that if they commit crimes against civilians, they will receive protection from each other and from their commanding officers and/or responsible civilians, thereby facilitating the sort of misconduct which befell the teenager."
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of recent incidents involving Park Ridge police officers and their conduct. Some officers have been disciplined due in part to internal strife and alleged violations of department policy. Also, the Journal recently reported exclusively that a complaint was filed against the department by a 23-year-old man who said he was roughed up by an officer.
The incident that triggered the filing of the complaint occurred on Oct. 27, 2006 when the youth--a 15-year-old---and a friend sneaked out of the 15-year-old's parents house at 1 a.m. during a sleep over. The two teens' intention was to visit a nearby cemetery.
While they were returning to the house, an unidentified male adult began shouting and chasing the two boys. The friend of the 15-year-old was grabbed while the other youth ran, said the lawsuit. It added that the adult never identified himself and that later two Park Ridge squad cars arrived on the scene.
When the 15-year-old returned to the scene, he was forced to lay face down on the concrete driveway, added the lawsuit. It said that an unknown police officer handcuffed the teen's hands behind his back. Shortly thereafter, the unidentified adult, who is believed to be a Park Ridge policeman, "smashed and pounded" the 15-year-old plaintiff's head into the concrete. "Two other unknown police officers watched the beating and did nothing to stop it."
The lawsuit went on to say that a short time later, the teen was picked up by one of the police officers who placed him in the rear of a squad car and closed the door. Moments later, said the lawsuit, one of the policemen went over to the squad, opened the door to allow the unidentified male access to the car and the youth inside. At that time, the adult/policeman entered the rear seat of the squad, grabbed the youth by the throat and "began punching him in and about the face and head." Officers on the scene did nothing, said the complaint.
When the youth's parents tried to file a complaint with the Park Ridge Police Dept. they were told "there is no process in place for processing complaints against Park Ridge police officers by the department," said the lawsuit.
The complaint filed in federal court accuses the officers of committing aggravated battery and assault on the youth. In addition, it charges that officers involved "conspired together to carry-out and cover-up the assault and battery" and that they participated in a cover-up of the assault and battery. Also, it charges that the adult male, believed to be a policeman, "provided false information and official reports about the assault and the incident."
In naming Park Ridge in the complaint, the teen and his father contend that the city should have known what occurred "but it chose to cover-up and to ignore gross misconduct of its employees." It added, "City of Park Ridge municipal policy makers are aware of (and condone and facilitate by their inaction) a code of silence in the Park Ridge Police Dept., by which employees and officers fail to report misconduct committed by other officers, in particular their commanding officers, such as misconduct at issue in this case."
Those filing the lawsuit are asking for a jury trial and a judgment against the city and police department seeking compensatory damages, attorneys fees along with punitive damages. No amount is listed.
Added the lawsuit, "The City of Park Ridge, and the Park Ridge Police Dept., with the as-yet unknown defendant officers reached a prior agreement between themselves and with other un-named co-conspirators to protect their individual interests and the interests of the City of Park Ridge, the Park Ridge Police Dept. and its police officers and employees who are accused of serious misconduct such as the misconduct alleged in this complaint."
Mayor Howard Frimark and City Manager Tim Schuenke declined comment when contacted by the Journal yesterday (Tuesday).
"It doesn't even identify the police officers," said Schuenke.