LaSalle Police Department – Withheld FOIA documents received

LaSalle Co. (ECWd) –

In October we received numerous files from the LaSalle Police Department related to their violation of the Freedom of Information Act as determined by the AG PAC office.  We wrote about that determination in this article.

Of special interest is the position of the Police Chief regarding a former police officer actions.  We first exposed that situation in several articles found here, here. and here.

What we believe should be of concern to the citizens of LaSalle is the position taken by the Police Chief regarding former Officer Strand’s conduct.

According to Police Chief Uranich, most of the following infractions he considered to be relatively minor.

• Unauthorized Self-Assigned police actions
• Unauthorized Prohibited  Associations
• Unauthorized persons in Police vehicles
• Unauthorized personal business
• Conduct (inappropriate)
• Unauthorized leaving the city of LaSalle
• Unauthorized personal use of cell phone. 

The above founded and admitted to infractions led to a two-day suspension.  We can only wonder which infractions the Chief considered not to be minor?

I urge everyone to read the previous articles we linked to above as it paints the pattern of practice this Police Chief exercised in his attempt to conceal public records dealing with known violations by one of his officers.

A review of the response letter sent by the City Attorney, after the AG PAC office confirmed they violated FOIA, gives you an idea of how bad things realy are.  Even when the AG confirms they violated the law and directs them to turn over records, they refuse to acknowledge that fact, but rather put their sword in the sand and insist they did nothing wrong.

“The LaSalle Police Department as part of the City of LaSalle as a whole (hereinafter “the City”) does respectfully maintain that our positions throughout this process were appropriate and well-founded under the law, and still respectfully maintains that position.”

Yep, so appropriate and well-founded under the law that the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Office confirmed they violated our Freedom of Information Act.  I contend they withheld public records as a means to avoid further embarrassment from the actions of their department.  Remember, there was no sex, only kissing.

You can review ALL of the records provided below and rest assured, they are rather telling. Such a review will help everyone to better understand why We the People had better wake up and start demanding accountability from all our public sector officials.

• Letter to Kirk Allen
• Responsive Documents #1
• Responsive Documents #2
• Responsive Documents #3
• Responsive Documents #4

In this case, I think a resignation from the Chief is in order.

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