Fox Lake Mayor Defends Trip, Friendship With Embattled Ex-Police Chief

FOX LAKE, Ill. (CBS) -- The unrest in Fox Lake is getting messier. Tuesday night, the mayor hosted a brief town meeting to explain everything from a trip to California to his friendship with the former police chief.

"The Bears won last night and that seemed to be a controversy," said Mayor Donny Schmit.

It was only a controversy because the mayor was with the embattled former Fox Lake Chief Michael Behan.

"I value his 30 years of service that he gave to the village of Fox Lake and I value his friendship," Schmit said.

It was in that 30 years that Lt. G.I. Joe thrived, whether it be allegations of sex harassment, theft, drunkenness and more.

"I don't know what he did but it was leading the department, that's not what I consider leadership," said interim Police Chief Michael Keller.

Keller was brought in to clean up the mess.

"The department was not run as a police department should have been run," Keller said. "Joe Gliniewicz is an individual that never should have been on this police department. He should have been gone a long time ago."

At the meeting, there were only two public comments, both thanking Village Administrator Anne Marin, who flagged G.I. Joe's theft of Explorer funds, pushed him on it and was potentially targeted for murder by him.

"It's beautiful, I mean it really is," Marin said. "It's been a difficult time and I think they're great for stepping up and saying such wonderful things."

The Lake County state's attorney's office said Tuesday night that it is notifying defense attorneys in cases Gliniwiecz was involved in because of the misconduct allegations against him as a precaution.