Antioch officials to meet over chief's future

The future of Antioch Police Chief James Foerster could be decided Wednesday night during a special meeting at Antioch High School.

Village officials will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the high school at the corner of routes 83 and 173. The meeting is a makeup meeting of one canceled last week due to overflowing crowds at the Antioch Village Hall.

Foerster, chief since February 2006, is on paid administrative leave while officials investigate accusations he tried to attack state representative candidate Scott Pollak.

Pollak, running as a Democrat in the Illinois House District 61 race, said Foerster had to be restrained by Antioch Mayor Larry Hanson and a police officer during a meeting July 27 in the chief's office.

Before the meeting, a police officer confronted Pollak's 18-year-old son and his 16-year-old friends over whether a permit was needed for the boys to campaign door-to-door in the Hidden Creek subdivision.

Pollak said the meeting became heated, and, at one point Foerster went toward Pollak with his fists clenched, but was restrained.

Foerster has declined to speak about the investigation.

Pollak is running against incumbent Republican JoAnn Osmond for the District 61 seat in the Nov. 2 election.

Village Attorney Robert Long said the village has hired an outside attorney to handle the internal investigation.

Hanson said the matter is under internal review and he could not comment.

Foerster was placed on paid administrative leave July 28.

Several commanders have been rotating to fill the role of police chief during the investigation.