Des Plaines officer’s disciplinary hearing delayed

A Des Plaines fire and police commission disciplinary hearing scheduled Monday for one of two police officers the city wants to fire has been postponed to March 26.

The city’s attorney on the matter, Yvette Heintzelman, was unable to attend Monday’s hearing because of an accident, attorney Robert J. Smith Jr. told the commission.

City officials would not comment on the administrative charges brought against two patrol officers — John Bueno and Andy Contreras — who were placed on leave months ago as the city held an investigation into the conduct of one officer.

Per the city’s collective bargaining agreement with the patrol officers’ union, Metropolitan Alliance of Police Chapter 240, the officers had the option of dealing with the charges through grievance arbitration instead of a public hearing.

Contreras has elected to go before the fire and police commission, while Bueno has opted to for a neutral third-party arbitrator.

The next hearing for Contreras begins at 9 a.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 1420 Miner St. A secondary date has been set for April 3.

Charges were filed with the city’s board of fire and police commissioners in February following an investigation, which was launched after the city manager’s office received information last fall regarding the conduct of a patrol officer.