A panel of judges totally exonerated Scott Oglesby today! Bloomington citizens will be paying for this one. The Council members who voted in their SECRET meeting (Executive Session) need to be held accountable. They voted to not rehire Oglesby after the arbitrator ruled he did nothing wrong. Maybe they should cough up the back pay!
by: Diane Benjamin
Bloomington Police Officer Scott Oglesby was fired on May 13, 2011 after an incident at Stevenson School on December 21, 2010. Note: 5 months later! Officer Oglesby filed a grievance that went to Arbitration. In December of 2012, the labor Arbitrator ruled in Oglesby’s favor stating that the offense should have been given a 1 day suspension instead of termination. The City of Bloomington has chosen to fight the ruling, thus incurring more legal fees and a mountain of back pay due to Oglesby when they lose again.
Facts as stated on Officer Oglesby:
- He had been on the force since March 1, 1995
- He had no prior discipline for improper use of force or failure to complete required reports
- He did have discipline/suspensions for attendance issues and falling asleep on duty
- He also had 9 written commendations in his file
- He did not have any children of his own
The arbitration is spelled out in a 57 page document which was obviously not read by the members of the City Council who voted to continue the case. I have read all 57 pages. What it does is make the case for never letting your kids near a public school. Stevenson is an Elementary School, grades K-5.
The first question is: Why were the police called to the school? The staff is unable to control kids ages 5 to maybe 11? The documents state this is not the first time police were called. The schools are now so politically correct in in fear of lawsuits that the kids run the schools.
The case revolves around a child age 7 who was not the reason the police were called in the first place. Officer Oglesby was interviewing a teacher, who still had red marks on her face, who was assaulted by the first kid. The age was not given for that child, but he was mostly under control when the officer arrived. The teacher refused to press charges.
While talking to the injured teacher, the officer heard loud noises coming from a nearby classroom. He entered to see the school psychologists attempting to control the 7 year old. When he saw the officer he released the child, it is also reported he looked tired and was sweating. The 7 year old was screaming and had just finished destroying the classroom by flipping furniture and tearing things off the walls. Oglesby then lifted the child up to eye level against a wall. The screaming stopped, I’m sure the kid was shocked to say the least.
No matter what was reported in the media, the child had NO marks on his neck or anywhere else. One witness said the child was picked up by the neck, 2 others said he wasn’t. In addition, the assigned School Resource Officer had arrived and he testified Oglesby did nothing to possibly injure the child.
The child was then ordered to report to the principal’s office, but refused. Oglesby picked the child up and carried him. Again, one person reported the child was thrown into a chair in the office, 2 others said he wasn’t. Then there is the pesky video tape that shows he wasn’t.
Every argument the City and the Police Chief made was shot down in the report. Anybody who reads it will see there is no evidence to support firing a veteran officer. The only thing the arbitrator ruled against Oglesby on was failure to file an incident report. Oglesby testified that he didn’t think one was required since no arrests were made. He also believed if one needed to be filed, the School Resource Officer would have filed it. So why did the City council vote in executive session to keep from re-hiring Oglesby?
Remember, they don’t believe it’s import to release executive session minutes. The law means nothing. Mayor Renner has stated the minutes will be reviewed, we will have to wait.
Meanwhile, the reputation of the officer can never be restored, the City is going to owe him a ton of back pay, and the citizens are forced to foot the bill for continuing legal fees. Obviously, the members of the City Council did not do their own research. They believed what they were told by the losing side! Unfortunately, this is how most of the council operates. Working for the people isn’t as important as doing what the mayor and David Hales want.
One more questions: The 7 year old starting throwing his tantrum when it was time to go home. Has DCFS been contacted to investigate his home life? Kids aren’t born evil, they are created. DCFS has placed Oglesby on a watch list however.
If you live in Bloomington, contact your alderman. Tell them enough is enough.
I remember when Officer Scott Oglesby was on suspension being investigated. I talked with our Alderman about it and I also talked to David Hales about not firing Officer Oglesby because he had proven to us in our neighborhood that he was a very good police officer. I even posted this blog on a Pantagraph report concerning this incident:
On behalf of Officer Oglesby I just want to say that he was called to help us in our neighborhood a couple summers ago. My wife and I were very impressed by the way he was able to handle the problem. He was professional and personable. We really liked him and felt we need more officers like Scott Oglesby. I remember that he made such a good impression on us that I emailed the Bloomington Police Department and our Alderman to let them know how pleased we were. You know some of you bloggers with rocks to throw at Officer Oglesby need to take a look at your own selves. No one is perfect! Except our Savior Jesus Christ. I believe in these dark days of walk on eggs, be politically correct and diverse on every move we make that being a police officer would be one of the hardest jobs to have. We ALL make mistakes. Heck, when I was in grade school I was physically disciplined several times and so were my friends, I’m sure it made me a better person. If I threw a tantrum around my dad he would count to three and if it did not stop by three he would show me what his belt was for. That is the problem with our kids today, that is the problem with society today, no discipline in school, no discipline at home, so our kids rebel and amount to nothing! I personally think that we need to give Officer Oglesby his job back with all his back pay.
I sure hope he gets his job back with full back pay and a good law suite for the hell that he has been put through!
So Chuck you think we should have more police officers who pick kifs up by the throat and only stop assaulting special needs kids when another officer tells them to stop. Would you leave your kids with him, is it ok if your wife is yelling for him to pick her up by the throat til she turns red and is having difficulty breathing? Cause this is what Oglesby did. This child was being bad, he was yelling which he coukd control. I’m sorry chuck but I expect better behavior from cops, so did Cheif McKinley.
The kids was destroying a classroom by ripping things off the walls. If you had read the report you would know that.
You mentioned, contact your Alderman, and ask support to reinstate Officer Oglesby,I am in( Ward 2 ) one of the ”Rubber Stamps 5” that control what goes on in making decisions.They read the report, they know it was wrong to give Oglesby such a long suspendion. !!The rubber stamp 5!! don’t want to rock the boat, until the chain is broken, things will not change !! Its a shame the Councilmen as a whole can’t think for themselves.
If hundreds of people attend the next meeting, think they would still say NO? Bring signs, don’t take no for an answer.
Really Diane. Lets not let the facts stop you. That 7 year old child testified that Oglesby picked him up by the throat. He couldnt breathe and his face was turning red. His throat did have a red mark on it for several hours after this incident.This child is also a special needs child and his yelling is part of his medical condition.Since when does a police officer have the right to even touch a child who is yelling. Even oglesby himself states he was yelling, not hurting anyone, just yelling. Oglesby was fired for 5 reasons, the main one being using DEADLY FORCE ON A CHILD!!!!!! As per the other comments, who cares if Oglesby was nice to you one summer, does that allow him to harm a child, does it make him above the law? Oglesby got EXACTLY what he deserved. People need all the facts before writing articles with more holes than swiss cheese. And btw Oglesby was also indicated as a child abuser by DCFS. David Hales, City Council and Police Chief McKinley should all be commended for a job well done, and will all make sure Oglesby stays fired and gets the nothing he deserves. He should consider himself lucky he isnt in jail
Do you read THE 50 page report? I did. Maybe you need some facts.
A wonderful summary of Obama’s America.
It’s a sad day when the testimony of seven year old brat is believed over a police officer. Enough said.
Political correctness destroying schools! Good people are sending their kids for an education while the “special kids” have to have their own police officer on call.
Lorraine is the child’s mother.
Wow diane you finally figured it out. You are so smart.
It was more than obvious that your opinions were very biased. That’s why I quit posting your comments.
Freedom of speech curtailed in ‘Obama’s America’.
Reblogged this on BLNNews and commented:
Word on the street – Oglesby was totally exonerated today by a panel of judges! More when I get it
Renner personally wrote me emails saying that he was Oglesby’s personal friend and that he backed him. So what changed? Lorraine, you’re biased and quite frankly, a whiner. Sounds to me your kid need to put under control and you are being overly dramatic. Years ago, a teacher grabbed my son by the throat and let a nasty mark just for daydreaming- I just went to to the school and had a “come to jesus” meeting with the teacher and the principal. If your kid tore the room up and was out of control, Oglesby should of put him in restraints. By the way, the Officer was not “Deadly Force” as defined under the statute.
That’s great news also!! Hopefully he gets his job back, all back pay plus damages, and a full public apology which he probably will never get!
I hope he gets a settlement big enough that he can move somewhere else and start over. Too many people in Bloomington will never believe he did nothing wrong.