The standoff between Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard and the village board escalated further this week, when Henyard reappointed a fired deputy police chief to lead the department.
Three village trustees told NBC Chicago’s Regina Waldroup that Henyard appointed former Deputy Chief Lewis Lacey to be the department’s new leader, but that he has not been sworn in. They claim the appointment was “illegal” and are seeking legal guidance on the matter.
It was Lacey was fired last week after being placed on leave. After he continued to show up for work, he was fired by the board, according to village officials.
Henyard’s office did not respond to NBC Chicago’s request for comment.
Lacey was indicted this week on bankruptcy fraud charges, with prosecutors claiming he had hidden assets and income from creditors and taken steps to prevent payment of a lawsuit.
He was charged with bankruptcy fraud, false information and declarations in a bankruptcy case and perjury.
Lacey appeared in court on those charges Thursday, where his attorney told reporters his client is “not guilty” of the charges.
Previous Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s investigation into Dolton’s spending habits also involved Lacey and Henyard. The investigation found that the village’s general fund, which had a multimillion-dollar surplus earlier in the decade, is now more than $3.6 million in debt.
The investigation also found that police spending increased by 21%, with two officers receiving more money in overtime than they received in regular pay, including Lacey.
Eight village employees were recently laid off, according to village officials. Officials are also trying to implement a hiring freeze.