Excerpts from OakLawnLeaf.com:
The Village of Oak Lawn has been embroiled in a controversial dispute involving firefighter and former union official Robert Lanz. The situation escalated when the village manager and other officials made statements that some residents and employees are calling an unfair attack on Lanz’s character and a stretch of common sense.
Lanz was reportedly accused by the village administration of making calls to phone sex lines while on duty. He was served with a notice to appear for an interrogation, which led to legal action. In court documents, the Village of Oak Lawn argued that as a firefighter-paramedic, Lanz has access to citizens during their most vulnerable moments. While many agreed with this statement, it was the next part that sparked outrage:
Firefighter-paramedics such as the Plaintiff (Lanz) see patients when they are not fully clothed, and the paramedics must have physical contact with patients, often of the opposite sex. Because of this, the village must have supreme confidence that the firefighter will not abuse the patient relationship for his own personal gratification
Two anonymous employees and officials described the accusation as absurd. One said, “Linking an unproven claim about phone sex to the possibility of a sex crime shows how far this administration is willing to go to undermine its firefighters.†They expressed fear of retaliation if they spoke out publicly.
An anonymous official called the whole issue a waste of taxpayer money, attributing it entirely to Village Manager Larry Deetjen. According to court filings, Deetjen claimed he heard rumors that a union audit had uncovered misused funds. Under his direction, the village requested an investigation by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. However, no charges were filed against any firefighters or union officials.
Despite the case being closed, Deetjen reportedly submitted a Freedom of Information request and obtained internal union documents covering four years of charges. He admitted in court documents that he reviewed these records and connected some of them to Lanz, with whom he has had a long-standing adversarial relationship.
Deetjen then checked the names of some companies online and found that two were linked to phone sex services. He reviewed Lanz’s records and suggested that some of the charges may have occurred while he was at the firehouse. Firefighters in Oak Lawn work 24-hour shifts and stay at the station during that time.
A local official who wished to remain anonymous criticized Deetjen’s actions, saying it was clear he was trying to damage Lanz’s reputation. “This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this kind of attack from this administration,†they said. “I’m not surprised they’re going after him, but I am shocked they’re trying to link it to possible sex crimes just because paramedics interact closely with patients.â€
When Deetjen first brought the issue to the village board, he reportedly told them that Lanz was being disciplined. He claimed the investigation involved both financial misconduct and inappropriate sexual behavior while on duty. This contradicts his later court declaration, in which he stated that the sheriff’s office had concluded its investigation and decided not to press criminal charges against Lanz.
According to sources within the village, Lanz is currently on paid sick leave.
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