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The Riverside Brookfield Landmark recently published a story detailing a legal battle between four local firefighters and the village of Riverside. The firefighters, who were previously disciplined for their involvement in an incident at a North Riverside tavern in December 2013, have now filed a lawsuit against Fire Chief Spencer Kimura and the village, seeking compensation for what they claim was unfair treatment.
According to the article, Lt. Thomas Bensfield, Lt. William Ruska, Lt. Ray Williamson, and firefighter A.J. Ruska filed the lawsuit in April in Cook County Circuit Court. They are asking the court to overturn the disciplinary actions taken against them and to compensate them for lost wages following the off-duty incident at the North Riverside tavern on December 14, 2013.
In June, the case was amended, and in July, it was moved to U.S. District Court. The updated filing claimed that Chief Kimura violated their First Amendment rights by targeting them due to their association with the former fire chief, Kevin Mulligan, who was later fired. The firefighters argue that their discipline was not based on any actual misconduct but rather on their political ties.
The amended lawsuit requests compensatory damages, attorney’s fees, court costs, and exemplary damages. In March and April of this year, Kimura suspended the three lieutenants for three days each and gave A.J. Ruska a 21-day suspension, along with a "last chance" warning.
A.J. Ruska was disciplined for "behavior unbecoming a Riverside firefighter," while the lieutenants were reprimanded for failing to properly discipline a subordinate. That subordinate, identified as firefighter Michael Rerucha, is not part of the lawsuit. According to a police report from North Riverside, Rerucha got into a physical altercation with an off-duty Cicero police officer, allegedly punching him in the head. However, the officer declined to press charges, as reported by local authorities.
This case has sparked discussions about workplace fairness, free speech, and the potential for retaliation within public service organizations. As the legal process continues, the outcome could set an important precedent for how similar disputes are handled in the future.