Sheriff's Office Seeks Multiple Officer Terminations, Suspensions
CHICAGO (CBS) -- After an investigation into time fraud, the Cook County Sheriff's Office wants to fire 11 deputies, two supervisors and suspend almost three dozen other officers.
The investigation, which began months ago, used Facebook, video surveillance and other tools to find out what deputies and supervisors were doing with their work time when they should have been on the job. All of the accused work weekend shifts at the Cook County Criminal Courts Building, 2650 S. California Ave.
"Groups of deputies would clock in and then leave for a group workout or leave and go out for a long, lengthy breakfast or lunch," said Cara Smith, the Cook County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman. "This seemed to be sort of a pattern and practice among the staff."
Furthermore, Smith says, in the most egregious cases, deputies and supervisors would just leave.
Terminations have to go through the Merit Board, an "independent body which exercises purely statutory powers."
WBBM Newsradio has reached out to the officers' union for comment.