Report Recommends Firing of OEMC Executive
[From Report: Fire city public safety exec :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: City Hall]
According to the Sun-Times, see also Second City Cop:
The inspector general’s office is recommending the firing of the No. 2 man at Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications for alleged contract irregularities that cost taxpayers $2.25 million.
Jim Argiropoulos, the $149,832-a-year first deputy who once served as OEMC’s acting director, is accused of engineering a scheme that culminated in the falsification of documents to expedite the purchase of a new 911 dispatch console system from Schaumburg-based Motorola.
I briefly met Jim in 2005, when I was trying to setup a project to study the OEMC’s roll out of the cameras. He was very professional and knowledgeable and appeared willing to assist me in my project. (A week later after my meeting with Jim, the city refused to work with me on the project).
From the news story, it is obvious that Jim did something that was wrong. However, it should be noted he wasn’t trying to personally profit, but was instead making sure the city received a good deal. (Nevertheless, he shouldn’t have punished the whistleblower).
What goes around comes around. Jimmy’s head got a little too big….