Metra hired outside lawyers to scrutinize complaints about the agency’s police department, but it’s keeping the findings confidential and has redacted information from legal bills.
Photo illustration by Brian Hill
Facing troubling allegations including misconduct, racism, promiscuity and cronyism at the Metra Police Department, leaders authorized an investigation that ended up costing about $1.57 million.
But the agency has stayed silent about what a small army of attorneys uncovered after spending months scrutinizing the department, which underwent major reforms a decade ago.
Metra passengers exit a train at the Vail Street crossing in Arlington Heights on Wednesday. Metra is not releasing findings of an investigation into its police department.
Joe Lewnard/[email protected]
In 2023, Metra quietly hired law firm McGuireWoods to review the accusations.
When asked to release a report on the probe, spokesman Michael Gillis said Wednesday that “unfortunately, Metra is not able to provide a copy of the work done by McGuireWoods because it contains privileged communications and attorney work product.”
Metra did respond to a November Freedom of Information Act request for McGuireWoods invoices but blacked out descriptions of the actual work performed. The Daily Herald appealed to the Illinois attorney general’s Public Access Bureau, which is reviewing the redactions.
Metra officials last week supplied copies of two anonymous letters they said triggered the investigation. The letters from “many concerned parties” contained descriptions of “corruption and inconsistency.”
But it’s unknown if any complaints were verified.
“Because the complaints raised concerns about potential misconduct, harassment, and other serious issues, Metra had an obligation to thoroughly evaluate the allegations and, if necessary, take appropriate action,” Gillis said.
The alleged breaches include: discrimination against minorities; harassment of female officers; racist, sexist and homophobic slurs at work; officers dating their bosses and receiving perks; and a “silo” structure that fed miscommunication. About 30 examples were cited, including the following:
• “Multiple officers are sleeping with each other while on shift.”
• An officer who broke the rules and crashed a squad car with a suspect in the back was not disciplined.
• “Officers only conducting arrests and traffic stops toward Hispanics because they ‘might not be legal.’”
• A sergeant harassing new female officers, and calling one frequently at night while she was off-duty.
• A white officer with multiple squad crashes was never reprimanded while a Black officer whose car was scratched was “written up.”
• An officer in a sexual relationship with a senior officer received favorable shifts and rotations.
While trying to get to the bottom of the complaints, expenses piled up.
Between February and September, 2023, about 25 people — two partners, multiple attorneys, paralegals and nine outsourced lawyers — spent more than 2,500 hours on the probe, records show. In June, nearly 600 hours were expended by 20 individuals with the monthly bill totaling $264,468.
Several outside technical consultants and services were also used.
“This required the investment of significant hours and review in the investigation and associated legal guidance provided by McGuireWoods,” Gillis said.
“All bills and expenses were reviewed by the law department. The costs and expenses were tracked and monitored.”
The law firm’s contract, which was effective March 1, 2023 for up to $3 million, was not voted on in public.
“Board approval is not required for legal services under Metra’s procurement regulations,” Gillis noted.
In May 2014, Metra hired Illinois State Police Cmdr. Joseph Perez to lead the department and fix an institution viewed as subpar. Perez, who instituted multiple changes during his tenure, retired as chief in November 2023.
Metra said Perez’ departure was not related to the investigation. His advent came after a scathing consultants’ report found police lacked training, didn’t interact with riders and racked up excessive overtime.
Metra held onto that report for several months before releasing it in January 2014.
As for the latest imbroglio, any report by the law firm is privileged information, officials said. “For the same reason, we cannot discuss any results,” Gillis noted.
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