Passionate support shown for Wehmhoff at
board meeting
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
An overflow crowd of at least 60 local residents showed up at Tuesday's Chatham Village Board
meeting.
With as many folks standing as there were sitting, the board heard public comments for nearly an
hour before adjourning for an hour-long closed session.
Trustees Tom Kavanagh and Chuck Herr were out of town and not at the meeting. Public comments
began with dog issues, followed by a request for a stop sign in the Foxx Creek Subdivision.
A large chunk of the discussion centered around police officer John Wehmhoff, who has been on paid
administrative leave since an April 24 incident involving a traffic stop near W. Walnut and Market Streets
in which several shots were fired from Wehmhoff's service weapon.
An investigation by the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office concluded that no criminal charges would
be brought against Wehmhoff. The Chatham P.D. has finished its internal investigation, and charges
against Wehmhoff are expected to be brought forth concerning department policy or procedural
violations.
Village attorney John Myers explained that the charges will include the recommendation of "up to and
including termination" for Wehmhoff, and the charges will be brought to the Chatham Police and Fire
Commission. The Mayor and Village Board are completely excluded from the process, he reiterated.
Those charges are expected to be officially brought forth next week when Police Chief Jim Dodson
returns from vacation.
The Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, which is a three-member group (Sherry Anderson,
Mark Bell, Randy Council), will then set up a meeting where evidence will be presented and witnesses
can be called. Myers will serve as prosecutor during the proceedings, with Ron Stone, Wehmhoff's
attorney, serving as the defense attorney.
Ultimately, the decision on what sort of punishment (suspension, termination, etc.), if any, that will be
handed down on Wehmhoff will come from a vote by the Police and Fire Commission.
Myers told the Clarion that it is up to the Police and Fire Commission to determine if that meeting will
be held in a public or closed setting. Springfield attorney Don Craven will also be part of the process,
serving as the counsel for the Commission.
About 40-45 residents showed up Tuesday in support of Wehmhoff, and a collection of over 600
signatures in support of the officer was given to the village board.
Wehmhoff's parents, Chuck and Mary Jo, are Chatham residents and were on hand. John Wehmhoff
has been a Chatham police officer for 11 years.
"We initiated a campaign in support of our son," an emotional Mary Jo Wehmhoff told the village
board. "All we wanted was for "termination" to be removed from the complaint about our son. We
believe this action of termination will endanger the lives of the citizens of Chatham and the lives of our
police force."
Myers was pressed further by resident Gene Wheeler to explain the charges, and responded, "It is
inappropriate for me to sit here and discuss the nature of the charges against Officer Wehmhoff. He has
the right of due process."
Myers said the charges were brought forth by Chief Dodson, in consultation with with the village
attorney.
"The identity of the person who is bringing the charges is irrelevant," Myers stated. "They could be
brought forth by the police chief, someone that was in the car or by a citizen.
"My role is to determine, do these charges, if proved, constitute cause for termination," he added.
Myers added that Wehmhoff also has rights to appeal any decision handed down, so the process
may not end at the police commission.
•Dog complaints were also brought forth to the board. As reported in the Clarion last week, June
Kendall, 72, was attacked by a neighbor's dog, "Roxy," last week at her home at 710 W. Chestnut.
An ordinance violation warning for a dog running loose was issued to the dog's owners by the
Chatham Police, since no bite marks were found on Kendall.
Myers explained how the laws have been changed in the last several years, making it much more
difficult to deal with dangerous dogs. Still, he said he would take a look at the police report to see if he
can have County Animal Control declare the dog a dangerous dog.
The dog does not reside at that residence, it was determined, but Kendall said she was suffering
from post-traumatic stress disorder from the incident.
"I want to know how to keep this dog away from my house," she said. "There are eight to 10 young
children living in my neighborhood."
•Kris Cannon, who lives in Willow Glen on Bens Drive, returned to tell the board that her neighbor's
dog, "Chaos," is still causing trouble in her neighborhood. Chaos has been declared a dangerous dog
three times, and the village is now working to have it declared a vicious dog. A lawsuit has to be filed in
order for that to happen, Myers said.
With that declaration, the dog will have to be properly confined to its property and muzzled, or it can be
taken away if found in violation. There were at least a dozen neighbors there with Cannon at the
meeting, several speaking out as well.
"Under these new laws, the dogs have more rights than humans sometimes," Myers added.
A complaint will have to be filed with the circuit court and it will be up to a judge to declare the dog
"vicious," he continued.
Officer Vern Foli added that the dog's owners have paid thousands of dollars in fines for ordinance
violations pertaining to the dog.
•Jennifer Monsour, a resident of Ptarmigan Drive, asked the board to consider putting a 3-way stop
sign at the Ptarmigan/Karros Pointe intersection. She brought forth a number of signatures from
neighbors in support.
"Our street has become an alternate for Route 4," she said. "Speed is an issue, but this request is for
the safety of school children in the area."
The area is particularly congested in the morning, as children are waiting at the school bus stop and
parents are parked along the street as traffic is continuing along Ptarmigan. There are also a lot of
bicyclists and walkers in the area, and Monsour said there is the potential for a major accident.
The Chatham Police Department has stepped up its patrols in the area, Foli added, and a number of
citations have been issued in recent months. Gray said he would have the village engineers look into
the request.
board meeting
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
An overflow crowd of at least 60 local residents showed up at Tuesday's Chatham Village Board
meeting.
With as many folks standing as there were sitting, the board heard public comments for nearly an
hour before adjourning for an hour-long closed session.
Trustees Tom Kavanagh and Chuck Herr were out of town and not at the meeting. Public comments
began with dog issues, followed by a request for a stop sign in the Foxx Creek Subdivision.
A large chunk of the discussion centered around police officer John Wehmhoff, who has been on paid
administrative leave since an April 24 incident involving a traffic stop near W. Walnut and Market Streets
in which several shots were fired from Wehmhoff's service weapon.
An investigation by the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office concluded that no criminal charges would
be brought against Wehmhoff. The Chatham P.D. has finished its internal investigation, and charges
against Wehmhoff are expected to be brought forth concerning department policy or procedural
violations.
Village attorney John Myers explained that the charges will include the recommendation of "up to and
including termination" for Wehmhoff, and the charges will be brought to the Chatham Police and Fire
Commission. The Mayor and Village Board are completely excluded from the process, he reiterated.
Those charges are expected to be officially brought forth next week when Police Chief Jim Dodson
returns from vacation.
The Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, which is a three-member group (Sherry Anderson,
Mark Bell, Randy Council), will then set up a meeting where evidence will be presented and witnesses
can be called. Myers will serve as prosecutor during the proceedings, with Ron Stone, Wehmhoff's
attorney, serving as the defense attorney.
Ultimately, the decision on what sort of punishment (suspension, termination, etc.), if any, that will be
handed down on Wehmhoff will come from a vote by the Police and Fire Commission.
Myers told the Clarion that it is up to the Police and Fire Commission to determine if that meeting will
be held in a public or closed setting. Springfield attorney Don Craven will also be part of the process,
serving as the counsel for the Commission.
About 40-45 residents showed up Tuesday in support of Wehmhoff, and a collection of over 600
signatures in support of the officer was given to the village board.
Wehmhoff's parents, Chuck and Mary Jo, are Chatham residents and were on hand. John Wehmhoff
has been a Chatham police officer for 11 years.
"We initiated a campaign in support of our son," an emotional Mary Jo Wehmhoff told the village
board. "All we wanted was for "termination" to be removed from the complaint about our son. We
believe this action of termination will endanger the lives of the citizens of Chatham and the lives of our
police force."
Myers was pressed further by resident Gene Wheeler to explain the charges, and responded, "It is
inappropriate for me to sit here and discuss the nature of the charges against Officer Wehmhoff. He has
the right of due process."
Myers said the charges were brought forth by Chief Dodson, in consultation with with the village
attorney.
"The identity of the person who is bringing the charges is irrelevant," Myers stated. "They could be
brought forth by the police chief, someone that was in the car or by a citizen.
"My role is to determine, do these charges, if proved, constitute cause for termination," he added.
Myers added that Wehmhoff also has rights to appeal any decision handed down, so the process
may not end at the police commission.
•Dog complaints were also brought forth to the board. As reported in the Clarion last week, June
Kendall, 72, was attacked by a neighbor's dog, "Roxy," last week at her home at 710 W. Chestnut.
An ordinance violation warning for a dog running loose was issued to the dog's owners by the
Chatham Police, since no bite marks were found on Kendall.
Myers explained how the laws have been changed in the last several years, making it much more
difficult to deal with dangerous dogs. Still, he said he would take a look at the police report to see if he
can have County Animal Control declare the dog a dangerous dog.
The dog does not reside at that residence, it was determined, but Kendall said she was suffering
from post-traumatic stress disorder from the incident.
"I want to know how to keep this dog away from my house," she said. "There are eight to 10 young
children living in my neighborhood."
•Kris Cannon, who lives in Willow Glen on Bens Drive, returned to tell the board that her neighbor's
dog, "Chaos," is still causing trouble in her neighborhood. Chaos has been declared a dangerous dog
three times, and the village is now working to have it declared a vicious dog. A lawsuit has to be filed in
order for that to happen, Myers said.
With that declaration, the dog will have to be properly confined to its property and muzzled, or it can be
taken away if found in violation. There were at least a dozen neighbors there with Cannon at the
meeting, several speaking out as well.
"Under these new laws, the dogs have more rights than humans sometimes," Myers added.
A complaint will have to be filed with the circuit court and it will be up to a judge to declare the dog
"vicious," he continued.
Officer Vern Foli added that the dog's owners have paid thousands of dollars in fines for ordinance
violations pertaining to the dog.
•Jennifer Monsour, a resident of Ptarmigan Drive, asked the board to consider putting a 3-way stop
sign at the Ptarmigan/Karros Pointe intersection. She brought forth a number of signatures from
neighbors in support.
"Our street has become an alternate for Route 4," she said. "Speed is an issue, but this request is for
the safety of school children in the area."
The area is particularly congested in the morning, as children are waiting at the school bus stop and
parents are parked along the street as traffic is continuing along Ptarmigan. There are also a lot of
bicyclists and walkers in the area, and Monsour said there is the potential for a major accident.
The Chatham Police Department has stepped up its patrols in the area, Foli added, and a number of
citations have been issued in recent months. Gray said he would have the village engineers look into
the request.
Chatham Clarion
 | |  | |  | |  |
Issue Date: July 16, 2009