John Balcerzak
John Balcerzak | |
---|---|
Born | 1957 (age 66–67) |
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Police officer |
Years active | 1980–1991, 1994–2017 |
Known for | Konerak Sinthasomphone incident |
President of Milwaukee Police Association | |
In office c. 2006 – December 31, 2009 | |
Preceded by | Bradley DeBraska |
John A. Balcerzak (born 1957) is an American former police officer from
Balcerzak and Joseph T. Gabrish gained national attention in 1991, when they were suspended with pay and later fired for having handed over an injured 14-year-old boy to
The officers appealed their termination and were subsequently reinstated with back pay of $55,000 each by Judge Robert J. Parins.[2] Balcerzak served as president of the Milwaukee Police Association (the police union for Milwaukee officers) from 2005 to 2009. Balcerzak retired from the Milwaukee Police Department in 2017.[3]
Jeffrey Dahmer incident
Three women, Sandra Smith, Tina Spivey and Nicole Childress, discovered the victim, 14-year-old Konerak Sinthasomphone, after he had managed to escape from
Smith recognized the boy from the neighborhood and the three women reiterated their concerns but were told to "shut the hell up" by the officers, who were convinced the incident was a domestic dispute.]
In the aftermath of Dahmer's arrest, an audiotape of Balcerzak and Gabrish making homophobic statements to their dispatcher and cracking jokes about having reunited the "lovers" caused heavy criticism. They were fired while Porubcan was put on job
Both officers appealed their termination. Judge Robert J. Parins controversially ruled in favor of the officers and they were reinstated in June 1994.[22][23]
Service as union official
In May 2005, Balcerzak was elected president of the Milwaukee Police Association, defeating Sebastian Raclaw by a vote of 521 to 453. As president, he was criticized for failing to protect officers from mandatory overtime and not supporting African-American officer Alfonzo Glover,[24] who was charged with homicide on May 30, 2006, and later died by suicide on the same day.[25] By June 2006, the union vice president had resigned because of disagreements with Balcerzak's "leadership style".[24] A petition to remove Balcerzak was filed and a recall election was held in August 2006. The results were 213 for a recall and 397 to retain him. At an October 9, 2009, trustee election, Balcerzak was not re-elected as a trustee and vacated his position as president on December 31, 2009.[26]
References
- ^ a b Holewa, Lisa (September 7, 1991). "2 Milwaukee Police Officers Fired for Leaving Boy With Dahmer". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Commission Votes To Appeal Reinstatement of Fired Cops". Associated Press. May 10, 1994.
- ^ "MPD officer who gave teen back to Dahmer retires". WTMJ-TV. June 16, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ a b Beck, Tobin (August 1, 1991). "Tape: Police thought boy was Dahmer's adult lover". United Press International.
- ^ a b c Worthington, Rogers (December 13, 1992). "After Dahmer: Police Try To Learn". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois.
- ^ a b c d e f Worthington, Rogers (August 2, 1991). "Could Police Have Saved Young Victim? – 911 Tapes Show Officers Were In Dahmer's Place, Left Teen To Fate". The Seattle Times. Associated Press and Chicago Tribune.
- ^ Walsh, Edward (August 30, 1991). "Officers in Dahmer Case Are Cleared". The Washington Post.
- ^ Estate of Sinthasomphone v. City of Milwaukee, 838 Federal Supplement 1320, 1324 (E.D. Wisconsin November 23, 1993).
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- ^ Anthony Shadid (April 6, 1993). "Dahmer Testifies Boy Had Drill Hole in Skull When Cops Questioned Him". Associated Press.
- ^ McMahon, Colin (July 28, 1991). "Race Kept Cry For Help From Being Heard, Some In Milwaukee Say". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
- ^ Masters 1993, p. 178.
- ^ "Judge Dismisses Key Claim in Lawsuit By Dahmer Victim's Family". Associated Press. November 25, 1993.
- ^ Smith, Jerry (February 11, 1992). "Officer says he noticed nothing unusual about Dahmer". United Press International.
- New Media Investment Group. Associated Press.
- ^ Barron, James (July 27, 1991). "Milwaukee Police Once Queried Suspect". The New York Times. New York City.
- ^ Anthony Shadid (April 6, 1993). "Dahmer, In Court, Describes Killings". Associated Press.
- ^ Beck, Tobin (August 6, 1991). "Dahmer charged with dozen killings". United Press International.
- ^ "Feb. 17th, 1992: Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer sentenced". CBS News. February 17, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
- ^ "Jeffrey Dahmer's killer explains why he did it". CNN. April 30, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
- ^ "Family Of Dahmer Victim Makes Tentative Settlement". Orlando Sentinel. March 22, 1995.
- ISSN 0001-8996. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- ^ Officers in Dahmer Case Are Reinstated Tulsa World
- ^ a b Chandler, Kurt (March 4, 2008). "Troubles at the Police Union". Milwaukee Magazine. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Quad (company).
- ^ Diedrich, John (August 9, 2010). "Jury starts deliberations in civil rights case over fatal shooting". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- ^ "Changes Ahead for the MPA". Milwaukee Police Association. Archived from the original on May 24, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
Cited works
- ISBN 978-0-340-59194-9.
External links
- "Officers Tell Jury of Letting Dahmer Keep Boy – New York Times". The New York Times. February 12, 1992. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- "No. 98-1602. – BALCERZAK v. CITY OF MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN – US 7th Circuit". caselaw.findlaw.com. Retrieved December 15, 2011.