Crime & Safety

Lawsuit: Sexual Harassment in Des Plaines Police Department

The Des Plaines Police Department is being sued by a female community service officer who says she was subjected to sexual harassment and gender discrimination, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Officer Lori Matula filed the lawsuit in September and asserts that top Des Plaines law enforcement officials ignored the situation and allowed a hostile workplace to exist. Matula asserts in the lawsuit that she was twice groped by a former sergeant.

The lawsuit is only the latest legal action involving the Des Plaines Police Department.

A former officer, John Bueno, fired for beating prisoners is suing the department alleging racial discrimination and harassment by a former deputy chief.

Bueno was fired in March for violating the city's use of force policy, failing to disclose use of force, and lying to internal investigators. However, an arbitrator ruled Bueno should have received a 15-month suspension and ordered he be reinstated by June 3. The city is going to court to appeal the arbitrator's ruling. Bueno's reinstatement is on hold pending the appeal.

Former Deputy Police Chief Richard Rozkuszka sued the city alleging that the department received reports from other Des Plaines police officers from 2009 to 2011 that Bueno "repeatedly engaged in violent and improper conduct while on duty, including beating incarcerated arrestees while in custody and in some circumstances while handcuffed."

Rozkuszka alleged in the lawsuit that he was forced to retire after he reported multiple instances of misconduct.

In a separate lawsuit, a DuPage man alleged that he was beaten in a parking garage by Bueno and another officer while being transported from the Elmhurst Police Department to the Des Plaines Police Department.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.