JOHN BROOKS, CHICAGO FD’s BELEAGUERED FIRE COMMISSIONER suddenly filed his retirement papers on Friday. Brooks has been on extended leave for several weeks following public disclosure of some inappropriate activity leading to a statement to the press that was embarrassing to both the department and especially the Mayor’s office.
On March 5 the Chicago Sun-Times reported (HERE) that Brooks had tried repeatedly to make sexual advances on a payroll clerk in the department, but she instead filed a complaint with the city’s Office of Compliance chief Anthony Boswell, who in turned quashed the complaint without investigation. When it became public, Boswell had already been suspended for doing the same thing with another sexual harassment complaint and this subsequent event led to his dismissal.
Brooks meanwhile, became belligerant over the newspaper’s expose and made the now-famous remark that, “I have never sexually harassed any woman or man in my life. I do not proposition women. I don’t have to. Women usually proposition me. God has blessed me like that.” He then voluntarily took leave in order to “stay out of the way” while the renewed investigation went forward. In mid-March the mayor’s office appointed a retired judge and former prosecutor who has a reputation for doggedly chasing down the truth to take over the investigation.
That report is purportedly being prepared for release now and Brooks has decided that it’s time for him to go.
Also on FireGeezer…
- Chicago Fire Commish Hoff Quits! – February 15, 2012
