(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Two investigative reports made public by the Chicago Park District Board Tuesday have led to the termination of four employees.
A housecleaning and general overhaul of conditions and culture in the Beaches and Pools unit is unfolding as investigations reveal more details about the sexual misconduct scandal, officials said.
"We were simply dysfunctional in our approach to the investigation, and I apologize for what has been a slow, tortured process," Park District Board President Avis LaVelle said at a press conference.
Two reports were made public: an internal investigation by the Park District's Office of the Inspector General, which looked into the misconduct itself, and an independent report from attorney Valerie Hays that examined management's mishandling of the claims.
Interim General Superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareno moved to dismiss three senior Park District managers.
Four lifeguards who engaged in misconduct dating back to 2015 were also fired; two already resigned after being suspended this summer, and one was no longer employed.
The remaining lifeguard, who had been on emergency suspension, was terminated. All have been coded as "Do Not Rehire" by the district.
"Park management failed our workers," Escareno said.
“I am outraged and appalled by these findings, particularly those that show that the people entrusted to lead the Park District were aware of these heinous allegations of bullying, intimidation, sexual harassment, and assault and chose to do very little in response," Mayor Lightfoot said in a prepared statement. "It is clear that all the way to the top of Park District senior leadership absolutely failed to take these complaints seriously."
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