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Oak Forest fire chief resigns

Mar 19

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | Comments off

David Griffin has resigned from his position as Oak Forest’s fire chief after being put on leave earlier this month.

In a March 8 letter to the mayor, Griffin said that he was resigning from his position as chief due to personal reasons, but asked that he immediately return to the department with his rank of lieutenant.

Griffin, who was named to the chief’s position in June 2014, was placed on paid administrative leave March 3 after some purchase invoices for the department were red-flagged as requiring further investigation, City Administrator Troy Ishler said. The invoices were not paid by the city. Ishler said Griffin remains on leave from the department, and it has not yet been determined when he will return as a lieutenant.

The city council may be asked at its meeting Tuesday to approve a new or interim chief. John Janozik is the department’s deputy chief.

Griffin, 43, of Tinley Park, has been with the fire department more than 15 years and has held the rank of lieutenant since 2012. He was appointed chief to replace retiring Chief Terry Lipinski.

thanks Dan

Tags: Chief Terry Lipinski, John Janozik, Oak Forest Fire Chief David Griffin, Oak Forest fire chief placed on leave, Oak Forest fire chief steps down, Oak Forest Fire Department

New fire chief for Oak Forest

Jun 13

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | 1 Comment

The Southtown Star has an article about a new fire chief in Oak Forest:

Oak Forest aldermen on Tuesday night approved the appointment of David Griffin as fire chief, replacing retiring Chief Terry Lipinski.

Griffin, who became the interim deputy fire chief last month, has served 14 years with the Oak Forest Fire Department and was in charge of training. He said Lipinski ran the department well, and “it’s going to be a fairly easy transition for us. I don’t think anything needs to be remodeled.”

Replacing Griffin as deputy chief will be John Janozik, a 28-year department veteran whom aldermen also appointed Tuesday night. He served as the department’s first deputy chief for one year in 1996.

Griffin was named interim deputy chief May 27 after aldermen removed Deputy Chief Charles Sopko from the position. Sopko had been on paid suspension since he and his wife were indicted in December, accused of embezzling about $352,000 over 30 months from the Palos Heights Fire Protection District where Michelle Sopko worked part time as an administrative assistant/bookkeeper.

Griffin said Charles Sopko still is employed by the fire department, but neither he nor Janozik were certain of Sopko’s status, specifically whether he remains suspended with pay.

Tags: Chief Terry Lipinski, Deputy Chief Charles Sopko, new fire chief for Oak Forest, Oak Forest Deputy Chief John Janozik, Oak Forest Fire Chief David Griffin, Oak Forest Fire Department, Palos Heights Fire Protection District