Sunday, March 9, 2014

Suspend Zinke immediately

LEADS: Law Enforcement Agencies Data System

MCSD: McHenry County Sheriff's Department

General Orders: the rules and regulations, but not Illinois laws, at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department that govern conduct by deputies, including supervisors and command officers. Whether they apply to the elected Sheriff is unknown. They should, But do they?

Recently Undersheriff Andy Zinke became the defendant in a Federal lawsuit filed by Woodstock attorney Bob Hanlon on behalf of his client, Sondra Matterness, of Woodstock.

Ms. Matterness accuses Zinke of running her license plate through the LEADS database for reasons other than official Sheriff's Department business.

What do MCSD General Orders have to say about LEADS and actions of deputies, including Andy Zinke?

General Order 1.5.00/83(a) reads, "No employee shall use LEADS, PIMS, CRIMES or any other computer inquiry within the Sheriff's Office to gain information for other than direct official police business."

If there is a suspicion that Zinke did so, and I'd assert that a filed Federal lawsuit is a strong suspicion, what action with Sheriff Keith Nygren take immediately to investigate this improper action? Where is Nygren? Somebody call him on his cell phone!

And, since mis-use of LEADS is a Class 3 Felony in Illinois, will Nygren immediately request the Illinois State Policy to investigate and, if the results show that Zinke did run Matterness through LEADS (or directed someone  else to run her name or license plate through LEADS), to charge him with the felony?

If Zinke illegally ran Matterness (or her license plate) through LEADS, that's a felony. What if Zinke, knowing that it would be felony to run the inquiry, told a subordinate to run the plate, thereby directing a subordinate to commit a felony?

No matter how you cut it, the Illinois State Police should be called in on Monday morning, and Zinke should be placed on leave while this case is investigated!

4 comments:

Curious1 said...

We don't yet know the facts, but an officer checking the identity of a process server to ensure they are authorized to serve a subpeona is a legitimate purpose.

Anonymous said...

Gus, you have to remember it's who you are that determines what happens when you screw up.
Nothing will happen to Andy, regardless of what he does!
Just like the probationary jailer who just received a slap on the wrist for her part in letting the male inmate in with the females. Probationary officers are and have been terminated for much, much less.
This particular officer also does not possess a FOID card; a requirement for being a McHenry County Jailer. When asked she replies, "I don't need one of those!"
Of course, it all becomes clear when you learn that she is a close personal friend of one of the top jail administrators.
That is how things are at the Sheriff's Department.

Gus said...

Sorry, Curious1, but No Pass on that one. Zinke was served at home. If he wondered whether the service was legitimate, he could call the Circuit Court Clerk's office or have a secretary make the call. When is the last time some impostor tried to serve Zinke? Ever? Probably never.

If he ran the name or plate (or directed a subordinate to run it), he was wrong. That's a felony. Besides, the plate identifies only the owner of the vehicle, not the person who served him.

And re-read the part in the Complaint that he refused service.

Big Daddy said...

On what basis would you suspend him? An allegation?