Gov. J.B. Pritzker ousted the chair of the Illinois State Police Merit Board just days after a new executive director was appointed, the latest shake-up at the agency that oversees hiring, promotions and discipline at the department.

       The Democratic governor late Friday withdrew his request for the Senate to confirm Andrew Berlin for reappointment as chair, ending his service on the board immediately.

       “The administration believes that it is time to move forward in a new direction at the Police Merit Board,” Pritzker spokesperson Emily Bittner said.

       Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks at a news conference at the Breakthrough Urban Ministries FamilyPlex on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

       Berlin, who could not be reached for comment, was first appointed in 2017 during the administration of Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, filling in the remainder of a term that expired in March 2019.

       Pritzker had reappointed Berlin to a new term, but he had not been confirmed by the Democratic-led Illinois Senate.

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       Pritzker booted Berlin only days after the five-member merit board he chaired had promoted Emily Fox, the agency’s program director, to the role of executive director.

       Fox succeeded Jack Garcia, a former Illinois State Police deputy director who joined the merit board in 2017 and just recently left to become public safety director in southwest suburban Burbank.

       Pritzker’s move further angered Republicans upset by changes that were inserted into a sweeping crime package passed in January, one of which would have made Garcia ineligible for the executive director job beginning in January 2022.

       The new law would exclude people with state police experience, like Garcia, from holding the merit board’s executive director position, a move the Pritzker administration said was designed to ensure there is no favoritism in hiring. The administration said the provision was not aimed at Garcia.

       In September, Jenny Thornley, the board’s finance officer, was indicted on theft, forgery and official misconduct charges alleging she stole between $10,000 and $100,000 by pumping up her paycheck with unauthorized overtime. She has pleaded not guilty.

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       As Garcia was investigating the overtime allegations against Thornley in early 2020, she alleged he sexually assaulted her. Thornley sent messages making the allegation to Pritzker’s top aides. Garcia has denied Thornley’s allegations.

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       Thornley, who also alleged she was sexually harassed by Garcia, also sent a text message to Pritzker’s wife, M.K.

       Bittner previously said that the first lady told Thornley that the administration would handle the matter through established employee procedures.

       An independent investigation led by former federal prosecutor Christina Egan determined evidence was sufficient to support the allegations that Thornley stole money by falsifying overtime, but that evidence was insufficient to support her allegations that Garcia engaged in sexual misconduct.

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       Both Thornley and Garcia had been placed on administrative leave during Egan’s investigation. Garcia was eventually reinstated, while Thornley was fired.

       In a federal lawsuit filed last April that names both the board and Garcia as defendants, Thornley alleged she was fired by the merit board in retaliation after she filed complaints accusing Garcia of sexual harassment and abuse.

       rlong@chicagotribune.com

       dpetrella@chicagotribune.com

       Gov. J.B. Pritzker dumps chair of board that oversees hiring and promotions at Illinois State Police

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