Should Fire Chief be disiplined for parking in handicapped Spot

[Handicapped Fire Chief]

Do you believe Fire Chief Brian Krizik's story his car was only encroaching on the handicapped zone? That is like saying I might be pregnant. He refuses to admit he PARKED in a spot designated for handicapped drivers. It was clear he was parked on the handicapped sign on the ground and in front of the sign on the post. He offers up a lame excuse but fails to fully admit to parking in the spot. He alludes to really not being wrong. In an internal memo to the employee's he blames the anonymous call to the SouthtownStar on an employee. After all no one drives into the main administration building except employees, right? Give me a break. He parks in the spot and then tries to place the blame on an unidentified member of the fire department for calling the SouthtownStar. He wants people to fell sorry for him.
What type of discipline would be sufficient for the Chief? Should the fire district fire the do nothing political hack who is paid 24,000 a year to be a spokesman for the fire district who took pictures at the SouthtownStar?

[Tax Payer]

Handicapped Fire Chief wrote:

Do you believe Fire Chief Brian Krizik's story his car was only encroaching on the handicapped zone? That is like saying I might be pregnant. He refuses to admit he PARKED in a spot designated for handicapped drivers. It was clear he was parked on the handicapped sign on the ground and in front of the sign on the post. He offers up a lame excuse but fails to fully admit to parking in the spot. He alludes to really not being wrong. In an internal memo to the employee's he blames the anonymous call to the SouthtownStar on an employee. After all no one drives into the main administration building except employees, right? Give me a break. He parks in the spot and then tries to place the blame on an unidentified member of the fire department for calling the SouthtownStar. He wants people to fell sorry for him.
What type of discipline would be sufficient for the Chief? Should the fire district fire the do nothing political hack who is paid 24,000 a year to be a spokesman for the fire district who took pictures at the SouthtownStar?

He should just admit he did wrong, pay the fine for the ticket and move on. It is nobody else’s fault but his own. I am appalled he has a disabled father and he had the audacity to park in a handicapped zone.

Quit beating around the bush admit your sorry and move on!!

[Know your facts]

If you knew Chief Krizik (as I do) I think you would understand that he is a man who is honorable and would never do anything to deprive someone of something like an ADA parking space. Maybe if you understood that his father ( a highly respected former fire chief ) has a disability, so the chief knows first hand what it is like when a family member is disabled. His response to your complaint is proper and just. In light of your comments I will personally match his donation with my own to a handicapped orginazation. Brian is a good guy, he is a respectable young man who would never offend anyone, it is a shame you have made him feel bad and tried to disgrace him through the press.

[Stop It]

Know your facts wrote:

If you knew Chief Krizik (as I do) I think you would understand that he is a man who is honorable and would never do anything to deprive someone of something like an ADA parking space. Maybe if you understood that his father ( a highly respected former fire chief ) has a disability, so the chief knows first hand what it is like when a family member is disabled. His response to your complaint is proper and just. In light of your comments I will personally match his donation with my own to a handicapped orginazation. Brian is a good guy, he is a respectable young man who would never offend anyone, it is a shame you have made him feel bad and tried to disgrace him through the press.

He made him self feel bad. He is the one WHO PARKED IN THE HANDICAPPED spot. NO ONE ELSE DID. No one made him illegally park in the handicapped spot.

There are a lot of honorable people who make mistakes. Brian needs to own up to it his mistake. Take responsibility and stop with the futile excuses. He was clearly parked in the handicapped spot and tried to wiggle his way out of it by using a pitiful excuse of I was only encroached the spot. Ask any police officer if they would write a civilian a parking ticket if they had parked their vehicle in the same spot where the fire chief parked his vehicle. They would not have hesitated.

In his sorry letter to the editor he actually tries to use measurements to try and scheme his way out of his predicament. If one of his firefighters used his logic with futile excuses when they made a mistake how do you think he would react to the excuses? What if one of his firefightes staes to the chief but chief I am an honorable man. All firefighters should be honorable men and women.He would probably still discipline the individual and tell him stop with your excuses. You made a mistake now own up to it and TAKE YOUR PUNISHMENT LIKE A MAN. Do the HONORABLE thing!!!

I truly feel sorry for him if he "feels bad" over a parking violation. I would hate to see how he would handle real pressure. This brings up a big question. How would the chief react during a large incident where there were multiple casualties and fatalities involved. Sounds like he needs to grow up or get out of the emergency response business. He is in the public light and should act like it.

[Tax Payer]

Know your facts wrote:

If you knew Chief Krizik (as I do) I think you would understand that he is a man who is honorable and would never do anything to deprive someone of something like an ADA parking space. Maybe if you understood that his father ( a highly respected former fire chief ) has a disability, so the chief knows first hand what it is like when a family member is disabled. His response to your complaint is proper and just. In light of your comments I will personally match his donation with my own to a handicapped orginazation. Brian is a good guy, he is a respectable young man who would never offend anyone, it is a shame you have made him feel bad and tried to disgrace him through the press.

On the front page of today’s SouthtownStar (1/2/09) they have a picture of a Tinley Park police cruiser illegally parked in front of Andrew high school. When Tinley Park Police Chief O’Connell was interviewed he expressed shock and disappointment in the officer who parked his police cruiser illegally. Chief O’Connell also stated in the article he was going to discipline the officer. I wonder if the officer will tell Chief O'Connell I am an honorable and good guy.

I would bet the Tinley Park Police officers punishment is more sever for illegally parking in a fire lane then Chief Krizik's punishment is for illegally parking in a handicapped zone.

I wish the SouthtownStar had asked Chief O’Connell if he would have accepted Chief Krizik's excuse if it had came from his officer who had illegally parked in a handicapped spot or fire lane at Andrew High School as an acceptable explanation for parking their vehicle illegally. I sure would like to know what punishment the police officer was issued.

[Honorable Mention]

Know your facts wrote:

If you knew Chief Krizik (as I do) I think you would understand that he is a man who is honorable and would never do anything to deprive someone of something like an ADA parking space. Maybe if you understood that his father ( a highly respected former fire chief ) has a disability, so the chief knows first hand what it is like when a family member is disabled. His response to your complaint is proper and just. In light of your comments I will personally match his donation with my own to a handicapped orginazation. Brian is a good guy, he is a respectable young man who would never offend anyone, it is a shame you have made him feel bad and tried to disgrace him through the press.

As a person who has a family member confined to a wheel chair I do not find any HONOR in an able bodied man who parks his vehicle in a spot designated as a handicapped parking spot. No good can come out of that. I would love to see Chief Krizik try to maneuver around in a wheel chair for a day or two. See how he likes it when there are no spots available to park because people like him only encroach on the parking spot.

I can not believe he had the vesicular testis to try and diminish the fact he violated the law. If his father truly is disabled like he claims then he should be ashamed of his actions and his poor excuses trying to justify his reprehensible action.

[Disabled Vet]

I can not and will not accept any excuses from this fire chief. He should know better. We need all the room we can get for the ramp to come down. Judging from the picture he was clearly parked in the handicapped spot. His vehicle in parked over the top of the sign on the ground. He should volunteer several hundred hours to the disabled vets and see what they go through on a daily basis. His actions were nothing less then despicable.

[Thank A Veteran]

Disabled Vet wrote:

I can not and will not accept any excuses from this fire chief. He should know better. We need all the room we can get for the ramp to come down. Judging from the picture he was clearly parked in the handicapped spot. His vehicle in parked over the top of the sign on the ground. He should volunteer several hundred hours to the disabled vets and see what they go through on a daily basis. His actions were nothing less then despicable.

First of all I would like to thank you for serving our country. i would not be able to freely express myself if it were not for veterans.

To the fir Chief. I am ashamed for you. You parked in a parking spot that was designated as a handicapped and then tried to justify why you parked there. You then came up with excuse after excuse and even tried to use measurements to try and I guess clear yourself of any wrong doing!!!

You need to sit down and examine your life. If your screwing up and parking in a handicapped spot caused you this much grief you have other issuses you need to adress.

How will you handle yourself if a school bus is in an accident. Will you crumble and not be able to lead you men? I believe if you just come out and say you screwed up apologize and don't make any more excuses this weight will be lifted off of your shoulders. You should also see a doctor and find out why a little problem like parking in a handicapped zone would disturb you this much. I believe you will then be able to understand why you trie to lie and make up BS excuses to try and justify your behavior. I hope this brings you peace. You seem like a very disturb man for being only in your 50's.

[Career Firefighter]

Thank A Veteran wrote:

<quoted text>First of all I would like to thank you for serving our country. i would not be able to freely express myself if it were not for veterans.
To the fir Chief. I am ashamed for you. You parked in a parking spot that was designated as a handicapped and then tried to justify why you parked there. You then came up with excuse after excuse and even tried to use measurements to try and I guess clear yourself of any wrong doing!!!
You need to sit down and examine your life. If your screwing up and parking in a handicapped spot caused you this much grief you have other issuses you need to adress.
How will you handle yourself if a school bus is in an accident. Will you crumble and not be able to lead you men? I believe if you just come out and say you screwed up apologize and don't make any more excuses this weight will be lifted off of your shoulders. You should also see a doctor and find out why a little problem like parking in a handicapped zone would disturb you this much. I believe you will then be able to understand why you trie to lie and make up BS excuses to try and justify your behavior. I hope this brings you peace. You seem like a very disturb man for being only in your 50's.

As a career firefighter I realize we have to be cognizant of what we do on a daily basis. Our actions will be scrutinized by the public on a daily basis and rightly so.

I am embarrasses and ashamed by Chief Kriziks actions. It is not the fact he had a lapse in judgment and clearly parked in a designated handicapped parking spot. It is the fact he failed to be a man, stand up admit he screwed up, take his punishment like a REAL man and move on. It appears that is way beneath him.

What does Krizik do? He sends a Public Information Officer who is a crony from Cook County Board President Stroger to take pictures of vehicles parked in the SouthtownStar parking lot. They then conspire to threaten the SouthtownStar to distribute the pictures to other media outlets. When the SouthtownStar asked to see the pictures Krizik and his henchman refused to show the pictures to anyone. It makes on wonder if in fact they really had any pictures to begin with. Do you really think the public cares how people park in the SouthtownStar parking lot? No. But when the Fire Chief parks his marked vehicle in a designated handicapped zone yes the public cares. Most every adult knows someone who is disabled.

After this debacle blew up in their face they go into another type of damage control and sort of kind of admit his vehicle encroached the parking spot but there was still room for a disable person to park their vehicle next to his. They then blame the sign is not really positioned in the right place but make no mention his vehicle is clearly parked on top of the handicapped ground insignia. They then bring out measurements of what the actual size of the handicapped spot is and what is required by law. All this conspring was going on and Krizik's OWN FATHER is disable. He still felt it was ok to park in a designated handicapped parking spot. Your father must be proud of your actions!!!!

Chief you really disgraced the men and women of the Orland Park Fire Department. It was not the actual parking snafu it was all of the garbage that you and your henchman spewed after you got caught.

Both of you should be fired. Your actions following you getting caught were scandalous along with being disreputable. You are both dishonest men who are untrustworthy and dishonorable. If you can not be trusted with telling the truth on a minor parking infraction how can you be trusted with a 25 million dollar budget?

[Baghdad Bill]

If Trustee Marty ( scab union buster) were to park in a handicapped slot would he be disciplined? No way! Smoke'em Chief!

[Resident]

Baghdad Bill wrote:

If Trustee Marty ( scab union buster) were to park in a handicapped slot would he be disciplined? No way! Smoke'em Chief!

Are you actually condoning the fire chief parking in a handicapped zone?

It sounds to me you should go and live in Bagdad.

[Union Firefighter]

I hope the union has kept all the articles and the letter to the SouthtownStar editor. The next time Krizik goes to discipline someone they can pull all this out and say if it worked for you chief it should work for us!!

[Orland Park Resident]

I drove through the lot today and compared the picture from the paper to where the fire chief’s car was parked. He did more then encroached on the parking spot. The metal sign is in the MIDDLE of the handicapped spot. His vehicle is clearly parked on top of the handicapped sign on the ground.

Shame on you chief for parking in a designated handicapped spot and then trying to finagle your way our of the predicament you caused.

[Anthony]

Orland Park Resident wrote:

I drove through the lot today and compared the picture from the paper to where the fire chief’s car was parked. He did more then encroached on the parking spot. The metal sign is in the MIDDLE of the handicapped spot. His vehicle is clearly parked on top of the handicapped sign on the ground.
Shame on you chief for parking in a designated handicapped spot and then trying to finagle your way our of the predicament you caused.

You have way too much time on your hand

[gimme a break]

Know your facts wrote:

If you knew Chief Krizik (as I do) I think you would understand that he is a man who is honorable and would never do anything to deprive someone of something like an ADA parking space. Maybe if you understood that his father ( a highly respected former fire chief ) has a disability, so the chief knows first hand what it is like when a family member is disabled. His response to your complaint is proper and just. In light of your comments I will personally match his donation with my own to a handicapped orginazation. Brian is a good guy, he is a respectable young man who would never offend anyone, it is a shame you have made him feel bad and tried to disgrace him through the press.

If you REALLY knew Chief Krizik, you would know that his name is BRYANT not Brian.

[Moot Point]

gimme a break wrote:

<quoted text>
If you REALLY knew Chief Krizik, you would know that his name is BRYANT not Brian.

Who cares what his first name is. He is a complete idiot for parking in a designated handicapped zone and should be punished!!!!!!

[Former Resident]

Moot Point wrote:

<quoted text>Who cares what his first name is. He is a complete idiot for parking in a designated handicapped zone and should be punished!!!!!!

I am a former resident who now resides in California. I keep in touch with current events through the internet.

I an appalled at the thought of the fire chief in my hometown parking in a handicapped zone. What exactly was he thinking? How could he actually think it was ok to park in a handicapped zone!
I have an Uncle who lost the use of his legs in Viet Nam and I cry every time I think of Uncle Steve. He gave his legs for his country and this is the thanks all the veterans get?

I am appalled at the thought of someone who has the use of their legs would actually park their vehicle in a handicapped parking spot.

I then read his father is disabled and it just mystifies me that he would even think t was all right to park in a handicapped parking spot. How could anyone park in a handicapped spot when their own father is supposed to be crippled? What was he thinking?

I just have one other thought. If the fire chief has a hard time admitting when he parks in a handicapped zone how he will respond if there is a question with the budget?

[Orland Pk Resident]

Former Resident wrote:

<quoted text>
I am a former resident who now resides in California. I keep in touch with current events through the internet.
I an appalled at the thought of the fire chief in my hometown parking in a handicapped zone. What exactly was he thinking? How could he actually think it was ok to park in a handicapped zone!
I have an Uncle who lost the use of his legs in Viet Nam and I cry every time I think of Uncle Steve. He gave his legs for his country and this is the thanks all the veterans get?
I am appalled at the thought of someone who has the use of their legs would actually park their vehicle in a handicapped parking spot.
I then read his father is disabled and it just mystifies me that he would even think t was all right to park in a handicapped parking spot. How could anyone park in a handicapped spot when their own father is supposed to be crippled? What was he thinking?
I just have one other thought. If the fire chief has a hard time admitting when he parks in a handicapped zone how he will respond if there is a question with the budget?

Because he is an arrogant bastard!! There is no other way to explain his moronic actions. Then he tries to lie his way out of it and cover it up.

I know a couple of guys who work for Orland Fire. They tell me he has no morals. There have been allegations of him having special interests with female employees. I can not believe the board allows him to work there. The guys told me almost the whole department HATES Him and his personal actions disgust him.

[Handicapped Resident]

Orland Pk Resident wrote:

<quoted text>Because he is an arrogant bastard!! There is no other way to explain his moronic actions. Then he tries to lie his way out of it and cover it up.
I know a couple of guys who work for Orland Fire. They tell me he has no morals. There have been allegations of him having special interests with female employees. I can not believe the board allows him to work there. The guys told me almost the whole department HATES Him and his personal actions disgust him.

It hurts me deeply when I see people who are able bodied park in a handicapped spot. I hope the chief was disciplined harshly for his actions.

[Baghdad Bill]

The Chief sail through his error. A mistake is a mistake. Just ask Fire Board Trustee Marty who is not pro-union. Let bye gones be bye gones. Get a life and move on all of you small minds who never make any mistakes. Give it up for our Chief.