FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Village Concludes Investigations into Harassment of Orland Park Deputy Chief of Police
Orland Park, IL (April 11, 2024) – The Village is committed to transparency and accountability, and takes all accusations of harassment, discrimination and/or retaliation seriously. In July 2023, the Village of Orland Park received conflicting complaints from two Orland Park Police Department employees – former Sergeant William Sanchez and current Deputy Chief Brian West. At the request of Sanchez, the Village retained an outside party to conduct the investigation. The Village hired the law firm of Clark Hill to provide advice and counsel and oversee the investigation, which was conducted by a third-party retired police executive from Gold Shield Detective Agency.
As a result of the investigation, the Village concluded that the allegations made by Sanchez against Police Chief Eric Rossi and Deputy Chief Brian West were determined to be unfounded and appear to have been made in bad faith. Police Chief Eric Rossi and Deputy Chief Brian West did not engage in any improper behavior.
The charges in the complaint filed by Deputy Chief West against Sanchez were substantiated. As a result, the Village of Orland Park and the Orland Park Police Department initiated the prescribed disciplinary process against Sanchez. Charges were drafted that were to be presented before the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, which is a statutory body that independently fulfills all duties and responsibilities associated with the hiring, firing, promotion, and discipline of police officers for the Village of Orland Park. Sanchez waived his right to have the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners review this matter and instead opted to have this matter proceed directly to arbitration, as allowed by the applicable collective bargaining agreement. With this waiver, the Village proceeded directly to termination of the employment of Sanchez effective February 16, 2024.
Police officers are correctly held to the highest standards of honesty and integrity and are expected to be always truthful. These principles are non-negotiable in the pursuit of justice and public service. Unfortunately, the independent investigation found that Sanchez did not uphold these high standards and attempted to undermine the Police administration.
Despite Sanchez’s request to the Village to maintain discretion in this matter, Sanchez disclosed the complaint and investigation. The Village believes it to be a priority during an employment investigation to protect the privacy, reputations, and identities of all involved, particularly the accused, and that providing names of involved individuals before the investigation has been completed is inappropriate.
Nonetheless, in response to media inquires throughout the investigation, the Village agreed to provide the media with more detailed information once the investigation concluded which is why this information is now being made available.
Relatedly, because of ongoing harassment, Deputy Chief West filed a police report resulting in a criminal police investigation. The investigation established probable cause for the arrest of retired Orland Park Police Sergeant Ken Kovac. Mr. Kovac served the Orland Park Police Department from June 1, 1998, until his retirement on March 22, 2019, and is currently employed by another governmental agency. On April 7, 2024, Kovac voluntarily surrendered to authorities at the Orland Park Police Headquarters. Kovac faces charges of Disorderly Conduct (Class C Misdemeanor) and False Personation (Class A Misdemeanor) related to allegations of creating fraudulent social media accounts.
The charges arise from Kovac's involvement in creating two fake Facebook pages that impersonated Deputy Chief Brian West, by misusing personal photographs, engaging in activities that misrepresented West’s identity, and using an offset of the last name of Deputy Chief West. The fraudulent Facebook pages utilized personal photos of Deputy Chief West that were copied from the Official Orland Park Facebook page and another photo that was copied from the Facebook pages of acquaintances. The fraudulent Facebook pages posted comments on Village of Orland Park social media sites while also soliciting friend requests from Orland Park Police employees and other citizens, portraying the likeness of Deputy Chief of Police Brian West.
Deputy Chief West had previously been informed of and witnessed demeaning comments in reference to his supervisory position within the department from Kovac’s posts on social media. In addition to the fraudulent Facebook pages, West had a glitter bomb sent to him anonymously at the Police Department. On January 23, 2024, Deputy Chief West was contacted by a suicide prevention hotline as a result of a spoofed call.
Deputy Chief West is a 52-year resident of the Village of Orland Park with over 30 years of dedicated service with the Orland Park Police Department who epitomizes the principles of public service. Deputy Chief West's apprehensions were treated with the utmost seriousness and underwent a thorough investigation.
The Village of Orland Park appreciates the community’s patience and trust as this complex situation has been navigated. While the sensitivity of personnel matters prohibits detailed discussion, the Village wishes to emphasize its steadfast commitment to accountability and upholding the highest standards of professionalism among its officers.
The Orland Park Police Department is comprised of dedicated men and women who exemplify integrity and valor in their service. The actions of a few do not diminish the unwavering dedication of the majority of the police force who consistently strive to protect and serve the community with honor and distinction. Without the dedication of the men and women of the Orland Park Police Department, the Village would not be able to fulfill its mission of enhancing the quality of life for all those who live, work, and visit Orland Park.
The Village of Orland Park is grateful for the dedicated service of its police force and remains resolute in maintaining a safe and thriving community.
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