Top Chicago Cop fired ;a month before retiring

[grympy]

Huff Post US today 3 December ;

Chicago Mayor fired police superintendent Eddie Johnson a month before he was due to retire, for cause.   

 It has been revealed that Johnson misled investigators and lied to the  Mayor about  an accident in which he was involved, in October. 

I think that means he loses his pension.

What do you think?  Harsh, or just?  Regardless, the mayor just made a lot of new enemies .  I hope she doesn't break any rules and get found out, ever ..

What do I think; I think the mayor 's action is righteous  on the the face of it, but pragmatically stupid.  Perhaps I'm too cynical, but I think there may just be more to this situation .


Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) has abruptly fired police Superintendent Eddie Johnson after she said an investigation revealed “actions that are intolerable for any leader.”


https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/...ri18n=true

[mordant]

Chicago politics is notoriously corrupt. I'm not sure what to think, other than "there just may be more to this situation" probably does apply.

If I knew more about Lightfoot -- something concerning her integrity and record -- I would be inclined to believe her version of the story.

[no one]

If this was just regular old Eddie the line cook whose actions paralleled these particulars, would there be any outcry about the sterness of punishment?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

It's quite obvious that Min's tireless campaigning has finally borne fruit.

[Thumpalumpacus]

While firing shortly before retirement does happen as a measure to control expenses (the Navy tried to scupper my mother's husband's retirement on a BS charge in 1985 in this way), I think that a police chief who lies lacks the integrity to continue serving. What other lies have been told? And about what?

[tomilay]

He seems to have been caught driving drunk. And apparently lied about it. Firing seems harsh given how long he has worked there, just on the verge of retirement. You have to cut such guys some slack. But something needed to be done; less harsh for sure, but something that sends a message.

[grympy]

He seems to have been caught driving drunk.  And apparently lied about it.  Firing seems harsh given how long he has worked there, just on the verge of retirement.  You have to cut such guys some slack.  But something needed to be done; less harsh for sure, but something that sends a message.

 That's my feeling too. Only because I don't completely trust the source. IE a newspaper report and a politician.

[Minimalist]

It's not the crime, it's the cover up.  If he lied in an official investigation he deserves the same treatment as those cops who lied about shooting Laquann McDonald in an internal investigation.

[epronovost]

He seems to have been caught driving drunk.  And apparently lied about it.  Firing seems harsh given how long he has worked there, just on the verge of retirement.  You have to cut such guys some slack.  But something needed to be done; less harsh for sure, but something that sends a message.

Recently, the Chicago police was caught in yet another bad story of police brutality. The fact that people are cranky toward the police and their top cop commits a stupid and dangerous offense might have also played a hand.

[julep]

If he’s the top cop in Chicago, he probably has double or triple the amount of his pension socked away in Switzerland or the Maldives.  

The higher the position in the organization, the more stern should be the punishment, IMO.

[Thumpalumpacus]

It's not the crime, it's the cover up.  If he lied in an official investigation he deserves the same treatment as those cops who lied about shooting Laquann McDonald in an internal investigation.

This is my thinking too. Had the Chief come clean, I'd be more forgiving, but the fact that Chief Johnson lied in and of itself renders him unfit to carry out his duties.

[grympy]

It's not the crime, it's the cover up.  If he lied in an official investigation he deserves the same treatment as those cops who lied about shooting Laquann McDonald in an internal investigation.

 OF COURSE I understand. 

But, I also think " Beware of self righteous indignation ; it has a nasty habit of coming  back to bite one in the arse"  (Tarquin S Shagnasty)

[Minimalist]

I just don't think cops lose their superiority complex as they rise in rank.  Quite the opposite, really.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The Right Honorable Shagnasty also had things to say about sweeping generalizations.

[Cavebear]

Huff Post US today 3 December ;

Chicago Mayor fired police superintendent Eddie Johnson a month before he was due to retire, for cause.   

 It has been revealed that Johnson misled investigators and lied to the  Mayor about  an accident in which he was involved, in October. 

I think that means he loses his pension.

What do you think?  Harsh, or just?  Regardless, the mayor just made a lot of new enemies .  I hope she doesn't break any rules and get found out, ever ..

What do I think; I think the mayor 's action is righteous  on the the face of it, but pragmatically stupid.  Perhaps  I'm too cynical, but I think there may just be more to this situation .


Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) has abruptly fired police Superintendent Eddie Johnson after she said an investigation revealed “actions that are intolerable for any leader.”


https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/...ri18n=true

If the claim is true, good punishment. We have gotten away from making examples of law-enforcement going bad. When people see the crimes they do being punished, they will do less of it.

[RobbyPants]

What do you think?  Harsh, or just?

I guess the question is: would another officer have been fired for the same thing, if they weren't about to retire? If so, why should we make an exception for someone who's about to retire?

Maybe, if you want to suck on a pension for the rest of your life, don't do things that could get you fired?

[Phaedrus]

It's quite obvious that Min's tireless campaigning has finally borne fruit.

I concur.

It doesn't matter that he's one month from retirement, that's an illogical appeal to emotion.

[Cavebear]

What do you think?  Harsh, or just?

I guess the question is: would another officer have been fired for the same thing, if they weren't about to retire? If so, why should we make an exception for someone who's about to retire?

Maybe, if you want to suck on a pension for the rest of your life, don't do things that could get you fired?

No, the question is whether any other person would have been held to the standards of the law.  

I admire the police.  I had relatives who were.  But this nonsense of shooting anyone "when you get worried" has GOT to STOP.  There is too much "fire first and ask questions later".  I'm damned tired of police shooting someone running away or just for admitting there was a gun in the vehicle.  

Too many policemen think they have license to kill at will...  A la 007...