Beloit Police Chief Norm Jacobs and Deputy Chief Tom Dunkin should be fired for "gross misconduct, incompetence and failure to perform essential job duties," City Manager Lori Luther told a news conference this morning.
Citing the results of a police department evaluation by Hillard Heintze consultants before she assumed office last spring and subsequent individual investigations of Jacobs and Dunkin, Luther listed 14 specific charges against Jacobs and 10 against Dunkin.
"It is clear Chief Jacobs and Deputy Chief Dunkin grossly mismanaged the department, incurring significant liability for the City and the community as a whole. I am recommending to the Police and Fire Commission that they both be terminated,” Luther said. “It is a testament to the majority of the Beloit sworn officers and civilian employees who kept the BPD functioning despite the lack of leadership.”
City Council President Charles Haynes said the entire council supports the recommendations.
"The surest test of character is how one behaves when they believe no one can hold them accountable," he said. "The investigation and report clearly show that Chief Jacobs and Deputy Chief Dunkin acted as if they were accountable to no one.
"Their actions, including power exercised for its own sake, retaliation, willful violation of the law and policy, show that they failed this test of character miserably, and in doing so, violated the public trust," he added.
The list of charges will be presented to the Beloit Police and Fire Commission with recommendations to terminate both men. Under Wisconsin law, the hearing must be held within 10 to 30 days. Both men have been on paid administrative leave since June.
Attorneys for the veteran policemen said in a joint statement that the charges are "exaggerated" and "politically motivated. The accused Luther of "using the threat of filing charges against them as a means to coerce them into leaving the City of Beloit Police Department."
"Both Chief Jacobs and Deputy Chief Dunkin are committed law enforcement professionals that have received favorable performance reviews throughout their long careers," the statement said. "Chief Jacobs is a 37-year veteran of the Beloit PD, and Dunkin is a 27-year veteran. Each of these officers started as patrol officers and rose through the ranks based on their dedication, knowledge and experience."
Luther said the assessment and investigation included reviews of internal documents and cases; more than 500 hours of interviews with Beloit Police personnel, members of the public; and interviews with both Jacobs and Dunkin.
"Both individuals are found to have a lack of fundamental knowledge of policing, laws and basic law-enforcement management techniques," Luther said, "and a lack of effective leadership, accountability and supervision over all aspects of the department."
Both men face the following charges:
- Failure to perform job duties in a competent manner
- Attempt to hire an unqualified candidate with a felony record
- Lack of responsiveness to citizen complaint
- Mismanagement of evidence and the property room
- Failure to ensure department compliance with strip search statute and to update and ensure compliance with strip search policy
- Failure to qualify with a firearm
- Release of gambling funds in violation of policy
- Lack of a personnel early warning system, despite advising CALEA that such a system is in place
- Failure to have a criminal intelligence sharing policy or practice as required by federal regulations
- Failure to properly maintain internal affairs files
Additional charges filed against Chief Jacobs are:
- Violation of pregnancy discrimination act
- Counseling issued for sick leave usage in violation of Family Medical Leave Act laws
- Failure to document internal affairs complaint
- Utilization of untested and unsupported matrix in hiring process
