Winfield cops sue village over ‘interrogation’
Two Winfield cops trying to prevent the disbanding of the village’s police department claim in a federal lawsuit that they were retaliated against for drafting an alternative plan to downsize the force.
Police Sgt. Joseph Grimaldi and officer Scott Miara are suing Winfield and Police Chief Stacy Reever because Reever earlier this week started an investigation of both men. Reever is trying to force Grimaldi and Miara “to divulge privileged and confidential information via a formal interrogation,” according to the lawsuit.
“It appears that the chief is seeking to interrogate both of these officers concerning union matters, which are, quite frankly, none of her business,” said Richard Reimer, an attorney representing the Metropolitan Alliance of Police, which is the union that filed the lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of Grimaldi and Miara.
Grimaldi is the chapter president of the union representing Winfield’s police sergeants. Miara is the chapter president of the union representing the town’s patrol officers.
Both made waves when they recently submitted a proposal that would reduce the size of the Winfield Police Department from 17 sworn staff members to 13. To achieve that number, voluntary buyouts would be offered to four senior staff members, including Reever, who are at or near retirement age.
The downsizing plan was drafted in response to village trustees considering a highly controversial idea of disbanding the department and contracting the DuPage County sheriff’s office to provide police protection to the town. Trustees receptive to the outsourcing proposal say it’s being considered because Winfield needs money for road repairs.
However, Trustee James Hughes has said that he reviewed the alternative reorganization plan and believes it could preserve the police department — and free up village cash to fix streets. Preliminary estimates show the proposal would save Winfield about $519,000 a year.
During the Aug. 16 village board meeting, Reever stressed that she only recently became aware of the plan when part of it was emailed to her.
“I did not see the whole report,” Reever said at the time. “I did not approve this report. I did not review this report. And I did not have input on this report.”
Reever didn’t return a phone message on Thursday. A village attorney declined to comment, saying that another lawyer is handling the case. The other attorney didn’t respond to email and phone messages on Friday.
The lawsuit claims that Reever and the village “engaged in a campaign of harassment, intimidation and retaliation” directed at Grimaldi and Miara. Trying to interrogate them was “intended to and had the effect of suppressing any further expression of opinion by members of the department,” according to the suit.
Reimer says Grimaldi and Miara got involved as citizens because the possible elimination of the police department is a matter of public concern.
“Sgt. Grimaldi and officer Miara are trying to be part of the solution, as opposed to part of the problem,” Reimer said.
The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages. If the case goes to trial, a jury trial has been requested.
In the meantime, the interrogations of Grimaldi and Miara haven’t yet occurred. Their attorneys are seeking a restraining order to stop them from happening.