Dismissal of Bean pending Sept. 8 council vote, possible legal action
By NICK VLAHOS
For The Weekly Post
ELMWOOD – Issues regarding clothing and equipment might have helped persuade the Elmwood mayor to fire the city’s longtime police chief.>
Aaron Bean spent 25 years as the top Elmwood law-enforcement official before Mayor Andrew Almasi terminated his employment Monday. Bean, 62, had worked as an Elmwood police officer since 1989.
When The Weekly Post interviewed him, Almasi said Bean’s firing was not related to insubordination or criminal activity. Otherwise, Almasi had little comment. The mayor cited potential litigation by Bean. The former chief acknowledged that option when he was interviewed later Monday.
According to Bean, Almasi was dissatisfied with the officer’s attire and his commitment to wearing a body camera while on duty. Almasi also received complaints about Bean from the public, the former chief said. At times, Bean did not wear a standard police uniform. Instead, he wore a T-shirt and shorts.
“He told me that he wanted me in uniform all the time and (wearing) a body cam,” Bean said about Almasi. “I went and got a uniform, a brand-new one. I started wearing it, but people apparently weren’t happy with it.”
According to Almasi, Officer Mike Darrah is interim chief of the police department, which at full strength has three members. As usual, the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office is to respond to calls in Elmwood when no police officers are on duty.
The Elmwood City Council is expected to vote on Bean’s firing when it meets Sept. 8, according to Almasi. It’s possible councilors won’t agree with Almasi’s decision.
“They have the opportunity to negate my action, so they could vote to retain him and he could still be there,” Almasi said.
Bean’s situation was discussed in closed session during a council meeting Aug. 4, Almasi confirmed. The council took no action that night, but a special meeting was scheduled for Aug. 25. A few days before the meeting was to be held, it was canceled. Almasi had said he would be dealing with the issue that week.
That process apparently included possible remediation, as required by law, according to Almasi. But he suggested Bean did not fulfill those terms.
“Not in my opinion,” Almasi said.
According to Bean, Almasi first broached the uniform/bodycam subject a month or two ago. Bean said he then purchased a uniform from a store in Peoria – a dark-blue shirt with police insignias, and a pair of green trousers. He added his badge to the ensemble.
Bean also said he had been wearing a T-shirt with “POLICE” emblazoned on it. He said he always had been wearing a bodycam.
“I was supposed to go back and get more uniforms, but as of today he told me I’m done,” Bean said.
A native of Springfield, Mo., Bean graduated with a law-enforcement degree from what is now Missouri State University. He was with the sheriff’s-office auxiliary before Almasi’s father, then-Mayor Joe Almasi, hired him in Elmwood.
Bean said he plans to consult an attorney regarding the current situation. Bean also said he might simply retire, something he was considering doing soon. He described the back-and-forth with the current mayor as cordial.
“Myself and Andrew have always gotten along great, with no problems whatsoever,” Bean said. “But he’s just not happy with me.”
Almasi didn’t appear happy, either, in more than one way.
“I was lucky that I worked for somebody – I never had to fire anybody,” he said. “It makes you sick to your stomach a little. I didn’t enjoy it, but you’re not supposed to enjoy it.”
