North Cook News

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's head of security's employment was terminated Nov. 2 after an investigation into an abandoned state vehicle found two years ago.

Security Chief Delwin Gadlen had used the government-owned SUV almost exclusively, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The vehicle, a Chevy Tahoe, was abandoned in a ditch with all four tires slashed. The engine was still warm when the police arrived. There were also slash marks on the center console, the driver's seat and the dashboard. 

Bags of campaign materials, including sample ballots, flyers and buttons, were found inside the vehicle. Government-owned vehicles are not supposed to be used for political purposes.

The police contacted Gadlen after coming across a dry cleaning receipt in the vehicle that had his phone number on it.

Though it is still unclear who was driving the vehicle the night it was found abandon, Gadlen had previously said it had been stolen, even though it was never reported to the police that the vehicle had been stolen, according to the Chicago Tribune.

When asked why Gadlen had been officially fired, Preckwinkle's spokeswoman, Becky Schlikerman, told the Chicago Tribune that it was a personnel matter.

Cook County Inspector General Patrick Blanchard conducted the investigation.

No one had been named as Gadlen's successor at the time of his termination. 

Preckwinkle’s security detail was placed under the authority of the Cook County Forest Preserve police last September, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

In September, Preckwinkle fired her chief of staff, John Keller, citing inappropriate behavior on his personal time.