Attorney: Campton Hills retaliated against cop for unionizing attempt

Campton Hills has paid one of its police officers about $62,500 not to come to work during the past 10 months because he tried to organize a union, his attorney said.

Officer Dominic DiMaggio has been on paid leave since April 26, 2024, in retaliation for his union activities, his attorney Patrick Walsh said.

DiMaggio and Walsh appeared Wednesday at a Campton Hills Fire and Police Commission hearing on whether the officer should be put on unpaid leave.

“Officer DiMaggio has been on paid leave for 10 months now while the village has sought reasons to discipline him after he investigated and formed a union for the police officers,” Walsh said.

Anthony Becknek, the attorney for Campton Hills Police Chief James Levand, asked the commission to continue the hearing.

“Officer DiMaggio would remain on paid status at this time and we’d like to come back in about seven to 10 days in order to potentially hear this motion and set a date for an actual hearing,” Becknek said.

Walsh said his client would agree to a brief continuance.

“We are anxious to get this resolved,” Walsh said.

Officials postponed the hearing to 10 a.m. Feb. 13.

Records show former Village President Michael Tyrrell swore DiMaggio in as a police officer at the April 19, 2022, Village Board meeting.

DiMaggio was earning $75,000 per year, Walsh said, so 10 months since his paid leave would come to $62,500.

His effort to organize a union was not successful, Walsh said.

Levand and Village President Barbara Wojnicki did not respond to an email asking for a response to Walsh’s assertion that DiMaggio was disciplined because he tried to organize a union.

Shaw Local News Network has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for documents related to disciplinary actions taken against DiMaggio.

This is the second time the village put a police official on paid leave.

Officials put its former police chief Steven Millar on paid leave because of an ongoing Illinois State Police investigation, according to a news release.

Millar, who was appointed in May 2018, was on paid leave for seven months from July 6, 2023, until his resignation on Jan. 22, 2024. Based on his annual salary of $123,530.90, Millar was paid just over $72,000.