An inspector general’s report presented at a special Joliet City Council meeting found there was no finding of intimidation by Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk on allegations of intimidating former councilman Donald Dickinson. The inspector general was called in to investigate allegations brought forth by Dickinson against Joliet mayor O’Dekirk.

During Monday’s special meeting the council agreed that there was no basis to censure their colleague, Pat Mudron, for his role in attending a private meeting where Mayor O’Dekirk was being accused of blackmailing Dickinson for alleged lewd photos of the former councilman.

Joliet City Councilman Joe Clement was also falsely accused of providing O’Dekirk with a photo of Dickinson’s private parts, according to the 49-page inspector general’s report. Clement retired from the Joliet Police Department in August 2020.

On Nov. 1, 2020, Dickinson attended a meeting hosted by Alan Roechner, who was Joliet’s police chief at the time. Other present at the meeting were Mudron, Marc Reid, former deputy police chief and Joe Hosey, former editor at the herald news, according to the report. The inspector general’s report concluded that the purpose of this meeting was to make false allegations against O’Dekirk by stating the mayor tried to intimidate Dickinson.

The report recommended that Roechner be charged with official misconduct and violating the local records act; and Reid, be charged with official misconduct, tampering with evidence, filing a false police report, interfering with a police investigation, and violating the local records act. The inspector general also recommends that Reid be reported to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standard Board for investigation and possible revocation of his police certification. The Illinois State Police also took part in the investigation.

The report also recommended councilman Mudron be reprimanded and censured by the Joliet City Council for his involvement in the Nov. 1, 2020, meeting and for the failure to stop and expose false allegations against his political rival O’Dekirk.

Additionally, the report suggests the Joliet City Council publicly condemn former councilman James McFarland’s role in the conspiracy and reporter Joe Hosey, for not following the journalistic standards of reporting the truth as he was also at the November meeting. Hosey left The Herald News in May 2022 to take a job with The Times of Northwest Indiana.

Attorney Sean Connolly in his inspector general’s report stated that Reid and Roechner started a false police investigation accusing O’Dekirk of intimidation regarding lewd photos Dickinson exchanged with a woman allegedly exposing his genital area. The report stated that Dickinson was later told by McFarland, that O’Dekirk had the naked photos, which he allegedly received from Clement. According to the inspector general’s report, there was no evidence of any photographs.

Connolly said he plans to ask Attorney General Kwame Raoul to file criminal charges of official misconduct against Roechner and Reid. The cost to compile the IG report is approximately $60,000.

“In the end, Mayor O’Dekirk was never charged with any crime, however, Dickinson was charged with attempted obstruction of justice, which was later amended to attempted disorderly conduct,” the report cited. “The amended charges against Dickinson were dismissed. Surprisingly, Roechner and Reid were never charged with any offense or disciplined in any way. Dickinson took the fall, and the rest of the cabal went on with their lives.”

Connolly said his definition of cabal is a “secret meeting of a clique for political purposes.” He said Mudron did not cooperate with the investigation, a statement Mudron later denied.

“I’d love to know, but he did not cooperate with the investigation,” said Connolly. “There’s what you know and what you should know.”

Connolly said Mudron did not commit a criminal act, but “It’s the presence at this meeting, participating in it, knowing what took place …  (that) he should have stepped up and say this is wrong. The city deserves better.”

But Mudron claimed he did not know who called the meeting and why Dickinson asked for his moral support by asking him to be at Roechner’s house that fateful evening.

“I’ve done nothing wrong,” said Mudron. “Therefore, I ask the council to reject the IG’s report.”

On Monday, O’Dekirk described the intimidation allegation as a smear campaign against him.

“The allegations against me were false,” said the mayor prior to recusing himself from the meeting. “Finally, I feel some vindication for something that was not true.”

Councilman Larry Hug said, “a small group of people have embarrassed the city.”

“Censure is the strongest action council can take,” said Hug. “We are hired to decide if someone on the city council acted inappropriately. Censuring is a slap on the wrist. It is not going to go on someone’s permanent record.”

But councilwoman Bettye Gavin said she was uncomfortable taking any action when not a single person has been charged or convicted of any crime.

“I don’t think it would be fair for me to enter any type of judgment,” said Gavin. “We live in a country where you are innocent before proven guilty. I would not be in position to judge this man (Mudron) based on hearsay.

Council member Terry Morris agreed the heart of the matter for him is if Mudron knew Dickinson’s allegations were false and if yes, when did he know it.

Councilwoman Jan Quillman said she wishes Mudron would have approached the Joliet City Council immediately after the allegations surfaced.

“I don’t think this is over and it is a big black eye on the City of Joliet,” said Quillman.

Roechner has retired since the scandal and is receiving a $160,000 per year pension from Joliet. Reid retired from the Joliet Police Department and received $148,000 per year pension from Joliet while serving as sergeant with the Elwood Police Department. A felony conviction for official misconduct while acting in official capacity, as a sworn officer, could potentially jeopardize an officer’s pension, the report concluded.

The inspector general is an independent, non-partisan party for the taxpayers of Joliet and has jurisdiction to conduct investigations, audits, and reviews of most aspects of city government. The inspector general is appointed by the mayor and is subject to approval by the Joliet City Council.