JO U R N A L W E D N E S D
April 29, 2026 Vo l. 46, No. 43
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of O a k P a r k a n d Ri ver F o rest
S p eci al S ec ti o n
No -co nfi de nce vote for police c hief fro m u nio n
G o ver n me nt a u dits of We st S u b u r ba n reve al det ails of cr isis
Villageleadership stands in support of Chief Johnson after vote results were sharedlast month By B RE N D A N HEFFE R N A N
State and federal health agencies provide details oninternal strife and poor conditions at the Oak Park safety-net hospital
St af f Re p o rt e r
O a k P a r k ’ s p oli c e of fi c e r s’ u ni o n m a d e a v ot e of n o c o nfi d e n c e i n P oli c e C hi ef S h at o n y a J o h n s o n l a st m o nt h, vill a g e of fi ci al s c o nfi r m e d t o W e d n e sd a y J o u r n al o n M o n d a y. T h e F r a t e r n al O r d e r of P oli c e O a k P a r k L o d g e # 8 f o r w a r d e d t h e r e s ult s of t h e v ot e t o O a k P a r k ’ s vill a g e b o a r d i n l at e M a r c h, b ut vill a g e of fi ci al s s ai d t h e y a r e st a n di n g “fi r ml y i n s u p p o r t of C hi e f J o h n s o n ” i n a st at e m e nt p r o vi d e d t o t h e J o u r n al b y O a k P a r k s p o k e s p e r s o n D a n Y o p c hi c k. T h e vil l a g e d e cli n e d t o m a k e J o h n s o n a v aila bl e f o r a n i nt e r vi e w. “It r e m ai n s m y p r of o u n d h o n o r t o l e a d t h e d e di c at e d m e n a n d w o m e n of t h e O a k P a r k P oli c e D e p a r t m e nt, w h o s e c o m mit m e nt t o t hi s c o m m unit y i s a s st r o n g a s it h a s e v e r b e e n, ”
P a ge B 1
By B RE N D A N HEFFE R N A N St af f Re p o rt e r s
wit h p u r p o s e , e n s u ri n g t h at w e s e r v e t h e Vi ll a g e of O a k P a r k wit h i nt eg rit y, c o m p a s si o n a n d r e s p e ct, w h il e u p h ol di n g t h e hi g h st a n d a r d s o u r c o m m u nit y ri g htf ull y e x p e ct s . ”
G o v e r n m e nt a u dit r e c o r d s h a v e s h e d n e w li g ht o n f aili n g c o n diti o n s i n si d e W e st S u b u r b a n M e di c al C e nt e r i n t h e l e a d u p t o t h e h o s pit al’ s a b r u pt c l o s u r e i n l at e M a r c h. A n Illi n oi s H e alt h c a r e a n d F a mil y S e r vi c e s a u dit a n d a f e d e r al C e nt e r f o r M e di c a r e a n d M e di c ai d S e rvi c e s i n q ui r y o utli n e d a h o st of a d mi ni st r at i ve a n d p ati e nt c a r e is s u e s at t h e O a k P a r k h o s pit al, a c c o r di n g t o d o c u m e nt s r e vi e w e d b y W e d n e s d a y Jo u r n al. T h e f e d e r al i n q ui r y p r o vi d e d d et ail s o n h o w i nv e sti g a t o r s
See P O LI C E C HI E F o n p a ge 1 7
See W E S T S U B o n p a ge 1 1
TO D D B A N N O R
O a k P a r k Police C hief S h at o n y a J oh n s on J o h n s o n s ai d i n t h e st at e m e nt. “I a m c o nfi d e nt i n o u r a bilit y t o a d d r e s s a n y c o n c e r n s t h r o u g h c o n st r u cti v e , g o o d f ait h di al o g u e. M y f o c u s r e m ai n s o n st e a d y l e a d e r s hip, t r a n s p a r e n cy a n d a c c o u nt a bilit y a s w e m o v e f o r w a r d. I n t h e m e a nti m e, I will c o nti n u e t o l e a d
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