Laine's goal: Make Fox Lake a premier police department
Changes put in place by Fox Lake's interim police chief form the foundation of the post-Gliniewicz era and what he says is the goal to create a premier police department.
Russell Laine, who previously was chief in Bartlett and Algonquin, was hired in January with a one-year contract to bring stability to the reeling department and to set it up for success.
To do that, Laine said he spoke with all the officers to determine what they needed to be successful. He clarified the command structure to ensure all the officers are accountable for their actions. Outdated policies and procedures were changed, mentorship was emphasized.
Today, new policies exist regarding use of force, reports are reviewed by command personnel for policy compliance, and officers receive monthly training and testing to verify their understanding, he said.
“This organization is moving forward and looking to the future,” Laine said. “There's no reason we cannot be a premier police department, be a department that other departments look to and say, 'What is Fox Lake doing?' That will happen someday.”
His plan to raise the department to prominence will take at least another 18 months, he said. It will be up to village officials to decide whether to extend his contract.
“He is doing a great job of modernizing the police force and making the changes that need to be put in place,” Mayor Donny Schmit said. “He's been fixing what needed to be fixed.”
The department was in a tailspin after Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz was found shot dead in a swampy area off Honing Road the morning of Sept. 1, 2015. His death ignited an intense manhunt and an outpouring of community support. It included a lakeside vigil attended by several hundred people who hailed “GI Joe” as a hero, and a funeral procession that stretched on for more than two hours.
It came crashing down Nov. 4 during a nationally televised news conference when Lake County Major Crimes Task Force Chief George Filenko announced Gliniewicz's death a suicide. Filenko said Gliniewicz's actions were the “ultimate betrayal” to the citizens of Fox Lake and the law enforcement community.
Authorities said Gliniewicz killed himself because he siphoned funds from Fox Lake Law Enforcement Explorer Post 300, which he advised.
But cracks in the department's foundation were forming even before he took his own life.
Former Chief Mike Behan was placed on administrative leave in August 2015 after village officials reviewed jail camera video of an officer roughing up an intoxicated inmate in December 2014. One officer was fired and others were suspended for 10 to 30 days for the attack.
There were complaints that officers were not receiving structured performance evaluations and training, and there was a lack of accountability and procedures among the command staff, officials said.
Village Administrator Anne Marrin said the department showed serious administrative problems, including lapses in basic communication, outdated programs and a lack of accountability.
Behan, who retired three days before Gliniewicz killed himself, declined to be interviewed for this story.
Lake County Undersheriff Ray Rose said Laine “was the perfect man for the job” of leading Fox Lake police because of a proven track record of leadership and his ability to make changes under challenging circumstances.
Former Roselle Police Department Deputy Chief Jimmy Lee was hired as interim deputy chief to assist Laine. Lee had experience with the department after he was tapped to investigate the jailhouse beating video.
Laine said future department goals involve adding officers and increasing training. He said he'd like the department to have a more active role in countywide police exchange programs like the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force and the Gang Intelligence Unit. He wants enough staff to do more crime prevention, instead of officers “running from call to call.”
“We don't want to forget our past and the tragedy that happened here. But we are looking to the future,” Laine said.