The showdown between Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard and the village’s Board of Trustees escalated further this week, as Henyard reappointed a fired deputy police chief to lead the department. NBC Chicago’s Regina Waldroup reports.
A majority of officers and command staff in the Dolton Police Department have issued a vote of "no confidence" in newly-appointed Chief Lewis Lacey, according to a letter obtained by NBC Chicago's Regina Waldroup. The vote was 33 to 2.
In the letter, which was sent to Mayor Tiffany Henyard and the village's board of trustees, Dolton police officers expressed their "displeasure with the leadership" of Lacey.
Lacey, the former deputy police chief, was recently placed on administrative leave by trustees, then terminated for insubordination. Henyard later appointed Lacey to be the department's new leader, three village trustees told Waldroup Thursday.
Lacey had yet to be sworn in as of Saturday.
Henyard’s office has not responded to NBC Chicago’s request for comment.
Village trustees said the appointment was illegal, and they were consulting with attorneys.
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Lacey was fired last week after being placed on a leave of absence. After he continued to show up to work, he was fired by the board according to village officials.
The former deputy chief was indicted this week on bankruptcy fraud charges, with prosecutors alleging that he had concealed assets and income from creditors and took steps to prevent payment of a lawsuit settlement.
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He was charged with bankruptcy fraud, making false statements and declarations in a bankruptcy case and perjury.
Lacey appeared in court on Thursday, with his lawyer telling reporters that his client is “not guilty” of the charges.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth Jantz ordered him to turn over his work firearm as well as two other guns he has in his home. He also must surrender his Firearm Owners Identification Card.
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s investigation into Dolton’s spending habits also involved Lacey and Henyard. The investigation found that the village’s general fund, which had a multi-million dollar surplus earlier in the decade, is now more than $3.6 million in debt.
The probe also found that police expenditures increased by 21%, with two officers receiving more money in overtime than they received in regular pay, including Lacey.
Eight village employees were recently laid off, according to village officials. Officials are also seeking to implement a hiring freeze.
