Des Plaines community service officer claims sexual harassment by a police officer

A veteran Des Plaines community service officer claims she was sexually harassed by a now-retired police officer, according to city officials.

The community service officer filed a workers' compensation claim earlier this month in which she made the sexual harassment complaint, said City Manager Mike Bartholomew.

Bartholomew would not comment on the nature of the alleged sexual harassment or the retired officer targeted by the complaint. He did not know when the alleged harassment took place, but he said his understanding of the complaint is that it does not include any allegation of a physical attack.

With several scandals hanging over the police department in recent years, the city has hired an outside firm to conduct an internal investigation into the allegations, Bartholomew said.

"We've made the decision over the past several months, given some of the issues we've had in the police department…when we have these internals, at least over the foreseeable future we'll likely use an outside firm so we can maintain a fair and impartial investigation," he said.

Police Chief William Kushner declined to comment on the claim.

The internal investigation should conclude within the next week or so, Bartholomew said.

The community service officer could not be reached for comment.