CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The Inspector General’s Office has spelled out all sorts of wrongdoing by city employees — from bribe-taking to a unique misuse of sick days — in its latest quarterly report.
The Office of the Inspector General, for instance, said a deputy aviation commissioner and associates received gifts valued at more than $20,000 in return for having the city buy products from a global plumbing manufacturer.
The IG said the gifts included 30 tickets to sporting events, dozens of free meals and three trips to Arizona for Cubs spring training.
When the city’s watchdogs began looking into the allegations, the deputy commissioner retired. An airport manager and a truck driver foreman were fired.
Meanwhile, the IG found that a 10-person Fleet and Facility Management crew split nearly $4,500 from the sale of burned copper electrical wire the crew was supposed to be replacing at a Chicago Public Library.
Two of the workers ended up quitting, one was fired and seven others were given suspensions.
The IG's 62-page, 3rd Quarter report also says a Department of Streets and Sanitation laborer was fired for allegedly making a violent threat after being suspended. The laborer reportedly said, "When I come back Monday: pop, pop, pop."
Another laborer called in sick on two of the 12 days he was behind bars after the worker was arrested by federal agents on drug charges. The laborer was fired by the city.
A Department of Water Management truck driver was suspended for 10 days after unleashing a torrent of racist and highly offensive comments at a black female security guard. She had asked the driver for a city ID in order to get onto a Water Management work site, the IG report said.
In other example of misconduct, the Chicago Public Library Head Clerk was found to have stolen more than $6,200 from her library branch. The Inspector General says after the library learned of the missing money the head clerk returned it and quit.
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