Chicago Police Cadet Collapses With Heat Stroke 10 Days Into Academy . . . Given Disability Payments for 15 Years

The Chicago Sun Time is reporting a fascinating case involving a police cadet who collapsed from heat stroke after just 10 days in the police academy when asked to run three miles. Donald E. Barnes Jr. never finished the “slow jogging exercise” or the academy but was put on medical disability . . . . 15 years ago. Barnes has collected $500,000 over the last 15 years but has never returned to the academy to complete training, let alone work as an officer.

The 30-year-old trainee ran only five blocks on the slow jog when he collapsed and diagnosed with heat stroke and placed in intensive care due to kidney and liver failure.

He is now 45 years old with the support of the tax-free payments. He has been found with “lingering” effects of the heat stroke and is entitled therefore not only to free health insurance for himself but wife and their two kids born after the heat stroke.

It is interesting to see this level of disability payment for such a long period of time.

According to the Daily Mail, “Barnes underwent surgery and outpatient rehabilitation following his collapse in 1997, but ‘has had no other treatment or follow-up’ since then, according to a pension fund doctor’s report dating from 2010.” He is one of a number of CPD employees who have been questioned about their disability status — one of hundreds of such cases.

Source: Sun Times