45th Ward Alderman John Arena is facing criticism for a Facebook post about a police commander who died and allowing controversial comments to flood his page.

The commander was killed Feb. 13 in the line of duty by a man on parole wearing body armor. On Arena’s Facebook page, followers have made comments such as “given how corrupt the police department is I really don’t feel bad at all” and “he got what he deserved,” according to Northwest Side Neighbors News. The post and comments don't appear to be on Arena's Facebook page any longer.

Northwest Side Neighbors News, a group opposed to a planned development project on Northwest Highway, called Arena out.



45th Ward Alderman John Arena

“This is the same alderman who took screen shots and tried to have officers reprimanded,” Northwest Side Neighbors News wrote on Facebook. “Why the double standard? Why doesn’t he have an anti-bullying code of conduct for his page.”

The Facebook incident comes as Arena staff recently filed a complaint against Chicago Police Department members for their opposition to the building project at 5150 N. Northwest Highway.

While staff members say the CPD members made “racially charged comments,” an FOP press release said, lawyers representing CPD members said the claims are false and violate the officers' Constitutional rights as they were off duty and acting as concerned citizens. The opposition is not race-based and overcrowding in the area, traffic congestion and lack of infrastructure are among the reasons the officers are opposing the building project.