News

Ill. City Moves to Fire 9-1-1 Dispatcher After Domestic Abuse Arrest

Peter Nickeas

02/26/2016

Feb. 24--The city of Chicago is seeking to fire a 911 dispatcher accused of pistol-whipping his girlfriend and has reprimanded his older brother -- a deputy director -- who covered for his brother's absence after a drunken-driving arrest in September.

Charles Reed, 35, is a fire dispatcher who has worked for the Office of Emergency Management and Communication since August 2011. His job includes dispatching ambulances when victims of domestic violence need help.

Reed is accused of beating his girlfriend with his fists and a semi-automatic pistol on Jan. 18, 2016. Responding to a call of a person with a gun, officers arrived at Reed's home in the 5700 block of South Emerald Avenue in Englewood and saw him "pitch a dark object to the ground" and as a woman screamed, "he ran out the back door with a black gun."

Reed raised his hands and complied with arresting officers, according to documents released by the OEMC.

The woman was taken to St. Bernard Hospital and Healthcare Center. Police asked evidence technicians to check the gun for evidence and take photos of the woman, according to authorities. He wasn't charged with a felony because the victim didn't want to pursue felony charges, police said.

The agency was notified of the arrest by the Office of the Inspector General on Jan. 28, and OEMC responded the same day that it would seek to fire Reed. In the meantime, he has been reassigned within OEMC, the agency said.

"We take the conduct of our employees very seriously, and the actions of Charles Reed while he was off-duty are not reflective of the hard-working staff at OEMC," agency director Gary Schenkel said in a statement released by his office. "When misconduct occurs that threatens the safety of the individual -- or others -- as it did in these two instances, we believe we must pursue the appropriate disciplinary action."

The domestic violence arrest was Reed's second arrest in four months. Gary police clocked him driving 69 mph in a 35-mph zone and arrested him on suspicion of driving while intoxicated in early September, according to court records.

A spokeswoman for the OEMC initially said the agency wasn't aware of the September arrest. The agency later acknowledged in a statement that Reed's older brother and deputy director of 911 operations, Gerald Hollowell, knew of the arrest and called in his younger brother's absence as a "family emergency."

Reed was scheduled to work an afternoon shift that day, and the city had to bring in someone to work the shift because it was short a fire dispatcher, according to records.

An OEMC spokeswoman said Hollowell didn't break any rules by calling in for his younger brother after the September arrest because employees can have other people call in for them.

"However, it is the opinion of this office that -- due to his personal involvement -- Mr. Hollowell should have ensured that the proper time was used by Reed for his absence related to his arrest on Sept. 5, 2015," the agency said in a statement. "Therefore, Gerald Hollowell has received a written reprimand."

The agency said Hollowell doesn't have "direct oversight" of Reed, though he oversees 911 operations and Reed dispatches 911 calls. Reed used a sick day for the arrest but should have used comp time or a personal day, the agency said.

Reed pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and was given a suspended jail sentence and probation. He also was ordered to pay court costs and attend alcohol counseling. He was represented in the case by Roy Dominguez, formerly the sheriff of Lake County in Indiana.