Berwyn City Council to Vote on $475,000 Police Misconduct Settlement, See all complaints and settlements from last 14 years

May, 23, 2023 | At tonight’s Berwyn City Council meeting, council members will authorize a $475,000 police misconduct settlement involving Berwyn Police Officer Giuseppe Canciari. According to the complaint:

 

9. At the police station, Defendant Canciari, acting unreasonably and without lawful justification, slammed the Plaintiff to the ground in a “take-down,” which caused injuries, including fractures to the Plaintiff’s facial bones, nose, and jaw.
10. Defendant Canciari, acting maliciously and without lawful justification, then caused the Plaintiff to be charged with misdemeanor battery, despite the fact that there was no probable cause, since the Plaintiff had committed no such crime.

 

Canciari is still employed for the Berwyn Police Department full-time according to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. His hourly rate is $45 as of 2022 

The chart that follows shows settled civil rights cases against the Berwyn Police Department since 2009. The numerous costly settlements prompt such questions as:
  • What policy changes has City Council passed in response to the complaints?
  • Does the Berwyn Police Department require officers to hold individual liability insurance? 
  • To what extent does the Berwyn Police Department contribute to the settlement amounts out of their own budgets?
  • Does the premium for police department insurance come from the police department budget? 

Council members are limited in the specific details they can reveal about cases, but they are free to discuss and pass policies and procedures to curb misconduct, protect the public from officers repeatedly accused of misconduct, and protect taxpayers from the financial burden of settlements. 

WhyBerwyn.net has not been able to locate any such Committee of the Whole discussions or City Council motions related to such protections.

WhyBerwyn.net will release another post listing Berwyn police officers repeatedly sued, costing taxpayers tens of thousands, such as David J. Green, who has been named as a defendant in 6 civil rights cases, totaling over $90,000 in settlements. Despite concerns raised by residents, Green was promoted to Sergeant and then Division Commander, earning an hourly rate of $68 as of 2022. Matthew Boskovich, has been named as a defendant in at least 4 cases, costing taxpayers over $125,000 in settlements. As of 2022, his rank is Sergeant and his hourly rate is $58. Boskovich is also a trustee on the board of the Berwyn Police Union. 

Payouts for Civil Rights Cases Settled Against Berwyn Police

YEAR SETTLEMENT (click to read minutes) CASE (click to read complaint) OFFICERS INVOLVED (as shown in complaint)
2023
Giuseppe Canciari
2023
Benjamin Hernandez (STAR #254), Joseph Green (STAR #309), Juan Salgado (STAR #214)
2021
Salvatore Virzi, Ronald Pedecone, Tyler Johns
2021
Unidentified officers
2018
Karlas Robinzine (Star 205), Robert Arnony (Star 218), Timothy Keske (Star 200), Jim Ritz (Chief of Police at time of lawsuit)
2018
SALVADOR GAMINO, Star # 307, RICHARD NOVOTNY, Star # 279, MATTHEW BURKE, Star # 284, MATTHEW BOSKOVICH, Star # 250, JAMES TRICKA, Star # 295, SALVATORE VIRZI, Star # 245, JOSEPH MANFREDINI, Star # 216
2018
JAMES TRICKA; ROBERT BRENKA; KATIE PEREZ; HASAN; MICHAEL OCHSNER; JAMES SASSETTI; RICKY SMITH; MATTHEW BOSKOVIC; CHRISTOPHER SWIECIONIS; ROBERT GORDON
2018
PECHOTA
2017
MICHAEL CORRIGAN (Star # 221), WILLIAM S. MASSUCI (Star #215), RICHARD H. BOLEC (Star #244), MICHAEL OSCHNER, JR. (Star #406)
2017
Nicholas Schiavone (Star #220), Brad Mann (Star #251), Richard J Novotny
2017
Unknown Berwyn Police Officers
2017
KRISTINA RICCHIO, MARK SCHWANDERLIK, SCARDAMAGLIA, BURKE, GRAY, AUDIFFRED, BOSKOVICH, BOLEC, ESPOSITO, NOVOTNY, PAPA, SMITH, GENNETT ) and UNKNOWN BERWYN POLICE OFFICERS
2016
John Doe
2015
ROBERT BRENKA #342, ROBERTO TROFIMCHUK #204, JESUS AREIZAJA
2014
CASEY STEFANO, JOSEPH ROBINSON, RAUL PEREZ,
2014
JENNIFER A. STILLO, JAMES TRICKA, RICHARD J. NOVOTNY, KOSKI, ESPOSITO
2014
Lopez (Star #723), Siciliani (Star #709), Tovar (Star #213), Ramon Ortiz, and Unknown City of Berwyn Police Officers
2013
Sandro Scardamaglia, David Green
2013
OFFICER SEPE, OFFICER KIDADIGAN
2013
JOHN FITZPATRICK #257, JAMES TRICKA #295, ROBERT BRENKA #342, ROBINSON
2013
DAVE GREEN, MATTHEW BOSKOVIC
2012
Vincent Esposito, Star No. 273, John Hadjioannou, Star No. 235, Aaron Stewart, Star No. 219, Mathew Burke, Star No. 284, Guy Papa, Star No. 210, Sgt. John Magnus, Star No. 333, and Casey Stefano, Star No. 276
2012
ANTHONY GENNET (#249), RAMON ORTIZ (#289), ROBERT SEPE (#241), J. KENNY (#248), and JOHN O'HALLORAN, UNKNOWN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
2011
Joseph Santangelo Star 206, John Magnus Star 293, Robert Fox Star 292, fnu Volanti Star unknown
2011
John Doe
2011
GUY PAPA, Star #210, TEUTONICO, RODRIGUEZ, UNKNOWN BERWYN POLICE OFFICERS
2010
James Kenny #248, John O'Halloran #225, George Janecek #306
2010
Frank Marzullo, Michael Fellows, Michael Vokac (see complaint for all defendants)
2010
Robert Fox, Sergeant Ruscitti
2010
Four Unknown Police Officers
2010
Michael Fellows #222
2009
OFFICER MICHAEL OCHSNER, JR., Star No. 226, OFFICER RICKEY SMITH, Star No. 266, SERGEANT LEILANI CAPPETTA, Star No. 315
2009
JAMES T MCDONNELL # 262, BRIAN D ZIMA # 244, BRIAN CANTWLL, PAUL STOROZYNSKI # 318, LEILANI CAPPETTA # 315, JAMES SASSETTI # 259, ROGER MONTORO # 256, UNKNOWN BERWYN OFFICERS
2009
David Green, Unknown Officers

Post by Luz Chavez, Berwyn resident