Christie Nicks
ROCKFORD -- Rockford city
aldermen are caught up in the whirl wind of Police Chief Chet Epperson's battle
with the police union. The big question:
Who does Chief Epperson have to answer to?
"Who should the police
chief be held accountable to?" asked Christie Nicks, Eyewitness News.
"I think it's not a simple
answer," replied Ald. Tom McNamara, 3rd Ward.
And the judge ruling in Chief
Chet Epperson's restraining order hearing didn't think so either. He shot down
Epperson's motion to keep the Police and Fire Commission from investigating
him, and rejected the chief's claim he is only accountable to the mayor.
It stems from a complaint filed
against him by the police union, alleging misconduct in an incident involving
Rockford NAACP president, Lloyd
Johnston.
But the judge also wasn't clear
on exactly who the chief should answer to. It's a problem now plaguing Rockford
aldermen.
"I think he should be held
accountable to the police and fire commission," said McNamara. "I
think he should also be held accountable to the mayor and he should be held
accountable to the city council."
Just to be hired as chief, Epperson
had to be recommended by the Police and Fire Commission to the mayor, and then
the council ultimately gave him the nod of approval.
But alderman Teena Newburg says
he needs more oversight.
"I don't feel at this
point he's being held accountable for his actions, I really don't" said
Newburg, 9th Ward. "That's where I see a problem."
The problem she says lies in
the fact that Chief Epperson doesn't feel he should have to answer to anyone
but the mayor, a point made clear in his motion for a temporary restraining
order against the commission.
"He's first and foremost a
police office,r and every police officer is held accountable to the fire and
police commission," said Newburg.
Now, Newburg says the aldermen
will likely have to clarify legislatively as to how the accountability process
works.
"I'm very sure that the
council is going to insist that it be spelled out much clearer in the future so
that we don't have this controversy again," said Newburg.
A controversy both Newburg and
McNamara say needs to end one way or another.
"I don't necessarily care
about this particular instance, I care about the larger picture," said
McNamara. "We've had 8 years of controversy, that has to stop."
"I think Chief Epperson is
not the person that should be our chief, I'm sorry."
