CHICAGO TRIB

HILLSIDE, ILLINOIS

A Hillside police dispatcher who was fired after telling a supervisor she suffered from narcolepsy -- which can cause people to fall asleep unexpectedly -- tentatively settled her lawsuit against the west suburb.

In court papers filed Tuesday, Kenya Madden agreed to settle for $10,001 plus undetermined court costs. The town admitted no wrongdoing.

In 2007, Madden was fired about a week after notifying a supervisor of her condition before working her first shift alone. She could control the neurological disorder with medication and never once fell asleep during training, her attorney said.

Police Chief Joseph Lukaszek told the Tribune last spring it was a clear public-safety issue, with the village unwilling to risk Madden falling asleep during a call.

"We make every effort to take care of those with disabilities -- our past record stands for itself," Lukaszek said then. "But there's some things you can't do. You can't have a person with one leg be a police officer."

Comments (3)

Yossarian: ... Look I think that the dispatcher should..ZZZZZZZZZZZZ..and thats my opinion. 1 November 12, 2009 Hookster: ... uh excuse me chief but there are police officers , with prosthetics, how do I know this because I wear one and have for over 20 years on patrol 2 November 12, 2009 Okpolizei: ... Hookster that is not the point he was making. how would you like it the dispatcher DID FALL ASLEEP when you needed help ASAP!!!???? 3 November 15, 2009

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