Chicago Police Department removes alleged anti-gay cop from the streets
After more than six months of lobbying the Chicago Police Department to remove officer Richard Fiorito from the streets, activists have finally claimed a victory.
The CPD announced early last week Fiorito, the subject of 22 federal lawsuits alleging misconduct, has been placed on administrative leave pending results of a departmental investigation into his behavior.
Fiorito has been accused of falsifying DUI charges, lying in police reports and, according to some plaintiffs, targeting and verbally harassing gay and disabled residents. Further allegations contend he allegedly engaged in this conduct in order to trump his DUI arrest record and gain overtime pay through making court appearances.
The announcement came the same day as the widely-publicized unveiling of a police surveillance tape depicting the arrest of Michael Vaughn, one plaintiff pulled over under suspicion of drunk driving. Though Fiorito's report of the sobriety test said Vaughn could not keep his balance and raised his arms more than six inches, the video shows Vaughn walked in a straight line with his arms at his side. The video strengthened the case for alleged discrepancies in the embattled officer's arrest pattern.
"The facts of this case speak for themselves," Jon Erickson, attorney for the case's plaintiffs, told EDGE. "I can say that I'm very pleased that the Chicago Police Department finally did the right thing ... [Fiorito] should not be on the streets, but more importantly, he should not be allowed to continue to testify against accused people in court."
As local activists await the results of the investigation and whether the Cook County States Attorney's office will prosecute the case, Erickson said he expects to file as many as 20 additional lawsuits against Fiorito in the coming weeks.
"We hope this sort of thing won't happen to anyone else and we are still fielding calls from those who have been falsely accused by Fiorito," Erickson said. "With him finally taken off the streets, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel."
Fiorito's attorney, Daniel Gallagher, declined further comment on the case. He told the Chicago Tribune last week that there was probable cause for his arrest of Vaughn and others and further called the allegation that his client had targeted gay drivers "ridiculous."
Andy Thayer, co-founder of the Gay Liberation Network, an organization which has led efforts against Fiorito, noted last week's victory was "a long time coming," following months of activism and even a subcommittee resolution passed against him. Thayer urged the community to not relent in castigating the officer.
"While we savor this victory, it's important to note that removing Fiorito's policing powers is only a first step - he is still getting full pay, still is employed by the city, and still is not under arrest despite plenty of probable cause evidence of criminal wrongdoing," Thayer said in a press release. "Once the [criminal] charges are filed, we will have to keep up the pressure to make sure that the Cook County States Attorney's office actually vigorously prosecutes the case."
Fiorito will be the subject of GLN's 11th annual Matthew Shepard March for LGBT Freedom at the corner of Halsted and Roscoe in Lakeview on Oct. 17. The march, held within the officer's beat, will demand continued action against the officer and will feature messages from some of the case's plaintiffs.