Cal Skinner's article on www.mchenrycountyblog.com/ about the recent flap at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department over an act of intimidation toward certain employees has drawn 25 comments as of this morning. Bravo, Cal. It was a good article, and it's obvious that the number of comments means that many people saw the article.
One author of a comment, Very Curious, wrote: "Sorry I still want my Law Enforcement personnel to have thicker skin than the presumption of harassment from this picture being seen in a forum other than this blog where it was originally pictured."
I immediately thought of comedienne Jeanne Robertson's routine about what Left Brain (her husband) called "spongy jumping." Jeanne said she wanted to take the face of a young woman behind a travel center counter in her hands and say, "Are you in there?"
And so I must ask Very Curious, "Are you in there?"
There is no way that Very Curious could miss the intentional act of harassment at the sheriff's department, when supervisors tolerate posting of any picture that could be construed as harassment or intimidation. The very first supervisor, or even a deputy, to see it should have removed it.
Any deputy, even the first one spotting it, could have pulled it down and delivered it to his sergeant with a "I found this on the bulletin board, Sarge." Well, maybe only in the sheriff's department in the World of Utopia...
But a "thicker skin" is not what a deputy or corrections officer will need, if he speaks out against unfair or illegal practices in the workplace at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department. What he will need is a huge bank account, out of which he can draw his living expenses and legal fees for the year or two it will take him to get his job back.
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
8 comments:
I guess I am still missing what exactly what the harassment was. Was Cal's article or picture of such an offensive nature that it could not have been shared? I guess I understand that some county employees attended a Mahon fundraiser and apparently Cal "outed" them in a public manner. However, sharing the fact that they attended is not harassment it is simply a statement of fact. Did someone threaten them? Did someone punish them? The simple sharing of inarguable fact seems pretty straight forward. I have heard nothing about them being harassed only paranoia that now that now that is a fact is known they feel they might be harassed. Maybe I am missing something but I have not heard any accusation of harassment only fear that people might due to the exposed facts.
So basically if no one was actually harassed but some paranoid employee filed a complaint that they feel they might be harassed...does that make the person filing the false complaint accusing coworkers of imaginary future harassment the actual harasser? I mean come on, it looks like someone actually filed a politically motivated complaint based on a presumption that by knowing a fact other officers were then so unprofessional they were bound to harass them in the future. It just sounds like silly paranoia accusing coworkers of what they might do in the future based on learning a fact not on what they actually did.
Gus, I also see you draw attention to the number of comments of Cal's article. Seems odd you haven't commented on the fact that a great many of those comments surround a direct accusation by David Bachmann that Mahon sent representatives to him warning him that the Sheriff was apparently going to "snuff" him out. Just seems like a HUGE story around the Sheriff's race that I can't believe a candidate would not comment or report on.
The persons within the Sheriff's Department who posted the copy with the handwritten message might just as well have said, "Look here at who was at a fundraiser for the guy running against our boss."
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to pinpoint the reason that the copy of the photo was put up. The workplace is supposed to be politically neutral. Were the copies dusted for prints?
One more reason to have an IAD at MCSD. Sure, this isn't like evidence disappearing or approvals for overtime for employees to participate in parades for political purposes.
Is there paranoia or job insecurity at MCSD? You know there is. And with good reason. Look what happened to employees rocked the boat.
I'm sure Dave Bachmann able to take care of himself.
Posting the picture of the officers at the Mahon fundraiser is only half the story. It's location speaks volumes. It was evidently hung in roll call during the afternoon shift. This shift is comprised of the least senior officers. So, here is the message - Support someone other than your boss and we will post your picture too -
That is intimidation by any measure.
I simply have to respectfully disagree. You really have to be looking for an excuse to call posting Cal's article or picture as harassment.
Duly noted. Thanks for commenting.
Post a Comment