Appellate court upholds Mount Prospect firefighter's dismissal

An Illinois appellate court has denied the appeal of a Mount Prospect firefighter/paramedic seeking to regain his job after he was fired for, authorities allege, making threatening statements in the presence of another firefighter.

Lloyd Miller was dismissed in 2017 by Mount Prospect's Board of Fire and Police Commissioners on the recommendation of Fire Chief Brian Lambel.

The decision came after firefighter Joe Reschke said Miller told him that if his name didn't make a list of firefighters eligible for promotion to lieutenant, he would "kill some people" and line them up so each could watch the others die.

Miller denies making that statement and asked a Cook County judge to overturn his dismissal. The judge rejected the request, and Miller filed an appeal.

"I did nothing wrong," said Miller, a 12-year-veteran of the department who said he was inspired to become a firefighter after the Sept. 11 terror attacks. "I'm innocent.

"It was literally my dream job. I mean, I got to do things growing up that I never thought I would get to do. I got to help people."

Miller says he got along with his fire department colleagues and never had disciplinary issues.

But Lambel stands by his recommendation.

"I still feel strong about my decision, and the courts just backed that up," he said. "My number one priority was the safety of all my personnel, including Lloyd Miller at the very beginning. I do believe that he made those statements, and I do stand by the charges that I brought up against him."

In its nine-page decision, the First District Appellate Court of Illinois said it's not the court's function to make an independent determination of the facts or substitute its judgment for that of the police and fire commission.

"The totality of the evidence supported the board's finding that Miller violated the workplace violence policy and other charges," Justice Terrence Lavin wrote in the unanimous ruling.

"Contrary to Miller's contention otherwise, evidence that Miller was angry, disappointed, and/or expressly opposed to certain union matters was relevant to his potential motive for making threats."

In addition to the appeals in the circuit and appellate court, Miller also filed human rights and labor complaints, both dismissed, contending that he was the victim of anti-Semitism. He's also complained that fire department leaders inaccurately portrayed him as a gun enthusiast because of photos on his Facebook page that show him holding firearms.

The photos, he said, were taken during a visit to a gun range several years ago, while he was attending a "Star Trek" convention in Las Vegas.

"The targets I shot in Vegas were zombie targets," he said.

Miller said he is discussing options for further appeals with his attorney.