Cop gets 3 years for fatal DUI

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
March 7, 2012

A (presumably, now former) Chicago police officer was sentenced to three years in prison yesterday for the May 2009 death he caused while driving drunk. Cook County Circuit Judge Matthew Coghlan pronounced the sentence.

Not only did the cop drive while drunk, but it was a hit-and-run fatal crash involving a child.

Is three years too long to wait for "justice"? The parents of the deceased 13-year-old boy felt the sentence was too lenient.

Richard Bolling, 42, was off-duty when the crash happened.

How many cops (and deputies) drive in McHenry County while drunk? Many? And do supervisors drink with them? And maybe drive drunk themselves?

When the Sheriff disciplines deputies with "30 days or less", the public never finds out the details. This is because the sheriff does not have to take the disciplinary matter before the McHenry County Sheriff's Department Merit Commission, a public body whose meetings and records are open to the public. The sheriff can quietly" handle "issues" like assault, battery, DUI, as internal matters when, in fact, they should be investigated and criminal charges should follow.

Maybe the Sheriff's Department policy for discipline needs to change to a much shorter period; say, five days. How about this one? If an employee is disciplined with five or more days off, the matter will go to the Merit Commission.

Of course, that would end a few careers around here...

As of this morning, the Merit Commission is still scheduled to hold its Regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, March 14, 10:30AM, at 667 Ware Road. The meeting is open to the public. When you arrive, just ask the contract security guards for directions to the second-floor meeting room. The status of Sgt. Greg Pyle should be on the Agenda, which will be posted by end-of-day Monday, if the meeting is not canceled.