Dolton meetings devolve into chaos while residents decry village hall lockdowns

DOLTON, Ill. — It’s become more difficult for residents of south suburban Dolton to attend village board meetings. They now face roadblocks, barricades, long lines, capacity limits, metal detectors and a heavy police presence that some say is being deployed to discourage opposition to Mayor Tiffany Henyard.

Dolton’s acting police chief has said the steps are necessary to protect Henyard from “countless” threats she’s faced. However, the police department’s own records show only four threats resulted in police reports from February 1 through April 7, around the time the extra security was put in place. Two of the alleged threats were sent to Mayor Henyard via social media, the others came in the form of an email and phone call. None appear to have resulted in an arrest or charges, according to the police reports.

Dolton took three months to respond to WGN Investigates’ records request, far longer than required by law.

The partial lockdown tactics are now being reviewed by the Illinois attorney general to determine whether they violate the Open Meetings Act. The law requires public meetings be held at “places which are convenient and open to the public.”

The restrictions on access have been described as “military like” by one resident who filed a complaint with the attorney general. That person, whose name is redacted, accused Henyard of giving her supporters early access to fill the room and the village’s acting police chief of threatening Henyard’s opponents with arrest if they applauded or otherwise made their opinions known. Another resident wrote of a June 3 meeting: “There were many senior citizens and others in line with walkers, canes, etc… it was 86 degrees and they were forced to wait in the heat and refused entry into the building.”

Dolton village board meetings routinely devolve into screaming matches between Henyard and her opponents with the public chiming-in. Some have been cut short due to the chaos.  Henyard’s team switched-off former Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot’s microphone mid-sentence when we she attempted to address her hiring by trustees as an outside investigator, prompting the crowd to rise up in Lightfoot’s defense and the police chief to threaten to kick everyone out.

Community activist Jedidiah Brown was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest during a July 1 Dolton meeting. Brown had used a public comment section of the meeting to call-out trustee Andrew Holmes and demand he explain and apologize after being accused of sexual misconduct by a village employee on a taxpayer funded trip to Las Vegas.  Holmes has not been charged and denies wrongdoing.

“You’ve been accused of something very shameful,” Brown said from a microphone across the room from trustees and the mayor. When Holmes asked to respond, Brown approached the dais and got within a few feet of Holmes before a police officer restrained him. Video of the meeting then shows two police officers pushing Brown out a backdoor of the room as the village administrator and another man — who climbed over a table — shield Henyard. Brown denies wrongdoing and tells WGN Investigates, “I’m worried as this administration continues to weaponize government against those with opposing views; but I’m undeterred.”

The threats to Henyard outlined in the police reports are vague on specifics and don’t indicate significant follow-up on the part of investigators. One report described a February 8 post on Henyard’s personal Facebook page that read “I bet you’d run from Dolton once you’ve robbed it dry… you’d get your a** beat once your 24/7 police security runs out.” The report says Henyard told the investigating officer the post made her “in fear of receiving bodily harm.” Henyard reported receiving a Facebook message that same day that read “I hope you’re dealt with the old fashioned way. Without police, if you know what I mean,” according to the report. The officer wrote that several unsuccessful attempts were made to identify the people who sent the messages.

Trustees opposed to Henyard say she has significantly expanded her security detail since taking office in 2021, costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in police overtime every year. She is routinely chauffeured by officers in a black Chevy SUV purchased by the village earning her the nickname “Tahoe Tiff.”

Henyard’s acting police chief defended the extraordinary security at village meetings in a response letter to the Illinois Attorney General’s office. “The disorderly conduct displayed at board meetings has been compounded by countless threats and racial and sexual derogortory [sic] communication Mayor Henyard has received through mail, phone calls and social media since taking office,” wrote Dolton acting police chief Lewis Lacey in a letter dated July 8. Lacey said Henyard’s mother received hate mail at her home addressed to the mayor on July 7. However, a copy of the letter was redacted from records obtained by WGN Investigates from the attorney general’s office.

Neither Lacey nor Henyard’s public relations team responded to questions from WGN Investigates about any potential threats since April or whether anyone who allegedly made the threats has been charged.

A spokesperson for the attorney general said the office’s priority is to ensure local governments understand their obligations under the Open Meetings Act. Henyard likely has far larger legal issues to worry about than violating state transparency laws. The FBI served wide-ranging subpoenas targeting her spending, contracts and allies in Dolton and Thornton Township in April. No charges have been filed and the investigation is ongoing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.