EFFINGHAM – The officers and telecommunicators of the Effingham Police Department earlier this week overwhelmingly passed a no confidence vote against Police Chief Jeff Fuesting, an action that indicates the employees who serve under Fuesting feel he is no longer fit to hold the position.
A total of 25 of the 26 patrol officers and telecommunications staff passed the no confidence vote over a two-day period, April 24 – 25. The vote has no legal standing, but is a way to publicly indicate that relations between the police chief and his employees have reached the breaking point.
The officers and telecommunicators are represented by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Labor Council and are members of FOP Lodge 209. Probationary employees did not participate in the no confidence vote.
“The Effingham Police Department employees took this rare vote because they have serious integrity concerns pertaining to the chief,” said FOP Labor Council Executive Director Shawn Roselieb. “Our field staff and members of FOP Lodge 209 have repeatedly talked to Chief Fuesting about violating contractual provisions, unfair employee treatment, and hostile work place incidents. Rather than try to improve employee relations, Fuesting has enlisted the support of several sympathetic city officials to try and put the blame elsewhere.”
