April 30, 2008
By MARK LAWTON mlawton@pioneerlocal.com
A former police officer fired by the City of Northlake is suing the city.
Daniel Rasic filed a suit Jan. 7 in U.S. District Court against the City of Northlake, Northlake police and fire commission members and Police Chief Dennis Koletsos.
In his filing, Rasic asks the court to review the police and fire commission’s decision. He also seeks unspecified amount in back wages and damages or reinstatement as a police officer.
In November, the three-member police commission approved ending Rasic’s employment after eight years with the police department.
The board charged Rasic with insubordination, failing to obey orders and conduct detrimental to the department after failing to appear in court after receiving subpoenas while on family medical leave.
According to court documents, Rasic went on leave after the birth of his daughter starting on July 6, 2007 and then was granted an extension for his father’s illness.
He was on leave when he received a subpoena to appear in Municipal Court in Maywood on Aug. 7 in connection with a drunk driving case he had handled.
Rasic received two more subpoenas to appear in court August and September while he was still on leave. He did not show up in court.
“If someone is on leave, they have the right not to be contacted,” said Alex Caffarelli, Rasic’s attorney. “One of the allegations (in the filing) is that the duty they tried to impose didn’t have to be imposed and the only reason it was imposed was to create a reason to terminate Mr. Rasic.”
According to the court document, Rasic instead contacted the police department and the state’s attorney. His attorney said that subpoenas are routinely rescheduled.
“If the officer can’t make it, they continue it as a matter of course,” Caffarelli said. “In Rasic’s case, they refused to continue the subpoena and used it as a pretext to discontinue his employment.”
Police Chief Koletsos declined to speak about the case, saying he does not comment on ongoing litigation.
Mike McGrath, an attorney for the City of Northlake, did not return calls for comment.
Mayor Jeff Sherwin said he had not seen the lawsuit filing but said “whatever is alleged is baseless and without merit. I have every confidence in the commissioners and the police department.”
This chief sounds like a real piece of work.
Everyone around this city heard of this and knows what an unfair chief they have.
Just go to court and its over right?
Going to court should make it over, but probably not. I have seen firsthand (watching my husband be slandered as I held our 4 month old) the way Northlake does things. It is backward, unethical, callous and vicious. It seems that entering the Northlake City Limits relinquishes one of all honestly and goodwill towards one’s fellow man. Good luck to the Rasics…they are good people.
Your husband too was a great cop with a big heart. I for one miss him and wish he was with our department today. MC always had your back and came from good old fashion police stock. You should never let a guy like him go. In the end he was a threat to Koletsos and they never last long. Good luck my friend.
Long memory
” We know that if one man’s rights are denied, the rights of all are endangered”.
Attorney General of the
United States RFK
1961
Dusan Popov
Nikola Tesla
Fairness:
Wasn’t Seals given ample time to make a decision about hear career. I mean she had the Detective position not working the streets day after day. Why was that done for her and not other employees. What was that based on. If thats true the city does not follow the law.
Belief and seeing are usually wrong.
We see what we want to believe.
You are making critical mistakes Chief Koletsos.
Just when I thought I’ve seen everything.
You guys fired this Officer for this?
Squad give me a CR#
What school did the Northlake attorneys go to?
Please no one go there.
Daniel I wish I was you. Take this to a jury.
Blue shirt
Police divorce rate 60-70%
Family is first.
Look up some FBI statistics in Law enforcement stress.
Kansas City, MO. Jan 22, 2008
Judge: Fired Officers should get jobs back.
Officers Melody Spencer and Kevin Schnell were terminated for not calling an ambulance for a pregnant women during a traffic stop in February 2006.
The women delivered a baby boy 10 hours later who then died.
Civil Lawsuits for wrongful termination were filed.
Things occur in police work. We are not priests Koletsos. I’m very sad for this baby boy who died but the officers did not do things intentionally.
FMLA makes it unlawful for any employer to interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of any right provided by this law.
Northlake = insubordination
Restrictions on how an employee spends their time. FMLA states no.
Northlake = court
Northlake acts like a breakaway republic.
I have seen the courts not continue cases for an officer who is:
sick
vacation
military leave
ballgame
hangover
late to court
Lawyer late
so whats up with this?
Cr #
Mike Mcgrath stop looking at this blog my sources tell me your on here.
You are stupid,I seen it on your stupid face.
Your the best lawyer Northlake has, ok.
Arkan
Chief Koletsos you are detrimental to the department.
Dictator turnover turnover
turnover
The Bears Orton looks like Jesus.