Reports detail sexual abuse and lack of response in Chicago Park District – NBC Chicago

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The Chicago Park District vows to act after the publication of two explosive reports that corroborate allegations of sexual misconduct by rescuers and supervisors and document the “mismanagement” of these complaints by district management.

In response to the release of the reports, the district fired three senior managers and placed at least four employees on emergency suspension. A total of 14 people were fired or coded as “not to hire” in district databases as part of an investigation into widespread allegations of sexual assault in the district.

“Today marks a new day for the Chicago Park District,” Acting General Superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareño said in a statement.

One of the reports released on Monday, conducted by the Office of the Inspector General, looked at four cases in which rescuers have been accused of sexual misconduct, some of the allegations dating back to 2015.

These four employees were all fired by the district, according to a press release. Two of the employees had already resigned, while a third was no longer employed. A fourth is facing termination proceedings, and all four have been classified as “not rehire” by the district in response to the report’s findings.

A second report, commissioned by the district, was completed after an investigation by law firm Arnold & Porter. This report focused on management’s response to allegations of sexual misconduct.

The report found that former Park District CEO Michael Kelly and several members of his leadership team had violated district policies and procedures by failing to report or respond to allegations made by several women.

Kelly was forced to resign in early October due to her office’s handling of allegations that a former supervisor had engaged in “an inappropriate relationship with a former seasonal employee.”

At that time, Mayor Lori Lightfoot had called for Kelly’s sacking, but instead chose to step down on October 10.

Lightfoot issued a statement following the release of the reports, saying they are the first step in a long process to restore public trust in the district and create a culture that will empower victims of sexual misconduct. , intimidation and other offenses to come. without fear of retaliation.

“I am outraged and appalled by these findings, especially those which show that those charged with running the Park District were aware of these heinous allegations of intimidation, sexual harassment and assault, and chose to do very little. in response, ”Lightfoot said. noted.

A total of three senior executives were dismissed following the publication of the reports.

A senior official, the district programming director, was informed by a former superintendent of a sexual misconduct complaint in 2019 and failed to act, prompting Escareño to demand the director’s resignation.

A Chicago Park District supervisor has resigned after being accused of sexual misconduct with a female underage lifeguard, the latest development in a growing investigation into allegations of harassment and abuse in the district. NBC 5’s Natalie Martinez has a timeline and more details.

Two others, the Deputy Director of Recreation and the Director of the Beaches and Pools Unit, were also accused of failing to comply with reporting requirements when they received complaints of sexual misconduct, and these two were also made redundant.

The district said it would use the findings of the two reports to install a system designed to protect victims of sexual misconduct and to ensure that misconduct complaints are investigated promptly and thoroughly.

To this end, the district plans to open a new “Protection Office” to investigate all allegations of sexual abuse and harassment, among other new proposals.

A total of 14 district staff were either made redundant or coded “not to hire” during the OIG investigation.

An OIG investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct among lifeguards in the park district is still ongoing, with three employees of the Beaches and Pools unit currently on suspension after being investigated for alleged misconduct.

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