More misdeeds at McHenry County Sheriff's Department

Sometimes the best part of a trip is coming home - and picking up the mail. You never know what surprises await you. After almost every recent trip I have received mail, either at my home or at my post office box (P.O. Box 1222, 60098) like the letter mailed to me on February 19.

I didn't receive this letter until picking up mail this morning. To the person who sent it, thanks! I regret the delay in acknowledging your letter and the information and, most importantly, acknowledging you!

What was this letter about?

I have written previously about the way some reports by deputies of the McHenry County Sheriff's Department are "managed." What did this letter say? Get this!

"After breaking into this ... home, causing personal injury to the ... residents, they (two deputies and a supervisor, named) all met afterwards to make sure that all stories are going to 'match'."

This is not the first time I have been told of such "managed" report-writing. The first batch of reports I read, after filing a FOIA request in the David Maxson shooting, revealed apparent collusion in the report-writing process. I guessed this is what had happened. But it was only a guess on my part. I read reports by 4-5 different deputies, and my immediate belief was that one person had written all of them. Now I can understand it, if "one person" had told the others what to write. No wonder all the reports sounded alike.

Subsequent to that guess on my part, such report-writing management has been confirmed to me by others in positions to know.

When unnecessary injuries occur to civilians - residents of McHenry County - some who were adults; some, juveniles - we cannot tolerate "managed" reports that allow the perpetrators to escape penalties for committing crimes that cause such injuries.

There are honest deputies with the McHenry County Sheriff's Department, and they are upset about what is happening. Yet, if they complain, they expose themselves to retribution, retaliation or termination. There is no avenue for reporting misdeeds (or crimes) by other deputies and being protected against retaliation.

These are reasons for an Internal Affairs Division at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department. How long will it be, before one is created?

Surely, Sheriff Nygren and other command officers cannot be ignorant of these practices. If a supervisor or command officer became aware of illegal report-writing management, wouldn't he report it to the Sheriff and then organize discipline, retraining, demotion and/or termination of those involved?

The result, instead, seems to promotion and select assignments! Why???