Nearly half of the Willow Springs Police Department in Illinois has either been fired, retired or resigned.
Mayor Alan Nowaczyk spoke to WBBM-TV about allegations including lying under oath and falsifying records that led to the five officers leaving the force.
"It’s disappointing to the residents," Nowaczyk said. "However, they have right to know the village is going to continue to protect them in a safe way."
The mayor himself has also been in the middle of the controversy. A Cook County sheriff’s report says the mayor violated the Whistle Blowers Act when he fired officer Mike Giorgetti.
Georgetti said he blew the whistle on the village for the misuse of federal drug funds and the use of a nearly $300,000 boat. The village claims that Giorgetti lied under oath and consistently changed his story after a 2013 crash with an unmarked patrol car assigned to his personal use.
A DOJ audit of the funds also raised questions about the boat and how Willow Springs handled $828,762 in equitable sharing money. The auit also called more than $116,000 spent on 13 used vehicles "unnecessary and wasteful."
Nowaczyk said that Giorgetti was not dismissed for whistle-blowing but would not comment on the sheriff’s recommendation that he and other village officials be criminally charged.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday stood by its earlier findings.
"The office conducted an extensive and unbiased investigation into a number of allegations and determined there were violations of the Illinois Whistleblower Act," according to a statement. "A subsequent Department of Justice audit also substantiated allegations related to the use of asset forfeiture funds."
