The Danger of Mayors Who “Self-Dispatch” like Waukegan's Sam Cunningham
Leadership Doesn’t Belong on the Tactical Line
When federal agents arrested a man in the Starbucks parking lot at Burr Ridge Village Center, local leaders handled it the right way: they stayed informed, secured the perimeter, and let trained officers do their jobs.
The village later said the operation was brief, coordinated with local police, and conducted without ICE involvement. Mayor Gary Grasso was present as a precaution, and the entire event lasted less than ten minutes.
That restraint is exactly what professionalism looks like.
But too often, elected officials respond differently — they rush in, seek a moment on camera, or try to personally “take charge.” Those instincts may play well on social media, but they are dangerous in real life.
When Leadership Becomes Theater
Mayors face three powerful temptations: constituent pressure to “be visible,” media incentives that reward optics over prudence, and the adrenaline rush of proximity to action. In a 24-hour news cycle, being seen at a crisis can feel like leadership. But sometimes, showing up uninvited is not heroic — it’s reckless.
The Waukegan Example
In Waukegan, Mayor Sam Cunningham appeared during a tense confrontation outside City Hall as Border Patrol agents detained a young woman, Dariana Fajardo.
Video captured the mayor stepping into the scene, speaking to agents, and helping move the woman’s vehicle — all while bystanders recorded on their phones.
The imagery was striking: a hometown mayor standing between federal agents and a citizen, right on the steps of City Hall. It resonated immediately on social media and in local political circles. But it also raised an uncomfortable question — was this leadership, or optics?
Mayors are not immune to the gravitational pull of the spotlight. In the era of livestreamed politics, the line between governing and performing governance has grown perilously thin. A moment meant to project courage can easily look like theater when captured from multiple angles and amplified online.
Even if intentions are sincere, stepping into an unfolding law-enforcement operation can blur legal boundaries, complicate accountability, and turn a safety issue into a spectacle.
The Risks of “Self-Dispatching”
When mayors or other elected officials insert themselves into live operations, several dangers arise at once.
First, they risk operational confusion. Police and federal agents work under strict chain-of-command systems; an unanticipated presence — especially one as high-profile as a mayor — can distract officers, change the behavior of suspects, and disrupt communication.
Second, there’s the risk of physical harm. Arrest scenes and tactical operations are unpredictable. An untrained civilian, even an elected one, can easily become a target or casualty. Officers have to split their attention between the operation and protecting the official, raising the odds of mistakes or escalation.
Third, legal exposure becomes real. If an official issues directions, touches a suspect, or interferes in any way, it can cross the line into obstruction or even assault under federal law. A single misstep could lead to criminal liability or expensive civil suits.
Finally, the optics themselves can backfire. What looks like bold, decisive leadership in the heat of the moment may later appear as recklessness or self-promotion. A clip meant to show courage can just as easily be interpreted as political theater. Once that perception takes hold, it undermines both public trust and the seriousness of the office.
Self-dispatching is not just dangerous — it is a direct violation of federal emergency management standards.
The National Incident Management System, the standardized framework used by all levels of government, explicitly prohibits self-deployment and warns that it “may interfere with incident management and place an extra logistical and management burden on an already stressed system.” The International Association of Fire Chiefs issued a formal resolution urging elected officials to develop written policies controlling self-dispatch, because when unrequested personnel show up, “the incident management system fails.” The consequences are not abstract: blocked access routes, compromised accountability, diverted resources, and increased risk to both responders and civilians. For mayors specifically, the guidance could not be clearer — your role is to make policy decisions from the Emergency Operations Center, not to direct tactical operations at the scene. Self-dispatching undermines the professionals you employ, violates the command structure designed to save lives, and as history shows, can get you seriously hurt or killed.
When Self-Dispatching Turns Deadly: Real Examples
The dangers of self-dispatching are not theoretical. History provides clear evidence that elected officials who insert themselves into emergency scenes face genuine risks of injury or death.
Mayor Frank Rizzo: Broken Femur at Philadelphia Refinery Fire (1975)
The most dramatic example comes from Philadelphia. On October 12, 1975, Mayor Frank L. Rizzo responded to a 9-alarm fire at the ARCO oil refinery in South Philadelphia. This was just two months after a devastating Gulf refinery fire in August 1975 that killed eight Philadelphia firefighters — one of the worst disasters in the department’s history.
Rizzo, 54 years old at the time, was on scene when a sudden flare-up sent firefighters and media scrambling for cover. His bodyguard knocked him over trying to protect him from the explosion. The mayor suffered a severely broken right femur that required surgery.
The injury was serious enough that Rizzo had to campaign for reelection from a wheelchair. The irony is striking: Rizzo had served as Philadelphia’s Fire Commissioner before becoming mayor and was present at the August refinery fire that killed eight firefighters. Despite his extensive experience with emergency operations and firsthand knowledge of refinery fire dangers, he still placed himself in harm’s way.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s timeline of refinery fires, “This time only one injury was reported — Mayor Frank L. Rizzo suffered a broken femur running from the explosion.”
Mayor Chuck Taylor: Nearly Crushed by Collapsing Wall (2008)
In September 2008, Circleville, Ohio Mayor Chuck Taylor narrowly escaped death or serious injury when he refused to leave the scene of a major downtown fire at Mason’s Furniture & Floor Coverings.
The 73-year-old mayor, known for his hands-on approach, was standing in an alley about 100 feet behind the burning building when Police Lieutenant Steve Gaines ordered him to evacuate. Firefighters were concerned that the southwest corner of the building might collapse.
When Taylor refused to leave, claiming he was trying to contact the power company, he told the officer: “If you have to arrest me, do it.” The police obliged, handcuffing him and escorting him from the area. He was charged with misconduct at an emergency, a fourth-degree misdemeanor carrying up to 30 days in jail.
The timing of his removal proved critical. Police Chief Wayne Gray later stated: “We probably kept him from being hurt. I ran myself and was splattered with ashes and soot.” Not two minutes after police removed the mayor from the alley, the wall collapsed.
According to the Columbus Dispatch report, this was not an isolated incident. Police Chief Gray said the mayor had been warned previously by police to not get so close to the scenes of fires and other incidents. The pattern of behavior demonstrates how some officials persist in self-dispatching despite repeated warnings about the dangers.
The Burr Ridge Model: Doing It Right
Mayor Gary Grasso offers a textbook example of how to balance visibility with restraint.
Federal agents alerted the Burr Ridge Police Department ahead of time, and the mayor was briefed before arriving. He didn’t rush in for optics or attempt to command; he observed from a safe perimeter alongside local officers.
Afterward, the village issued a clear public statement explaining the agencies involved, clarifying that no flash-bangs or tear gas were used, and confirming that the operation lasted less than ten minutes.
That’s the model for how elected officials should behave during federal or high-risk arrests: be informed, be coordinated, and be calm. Presence doesn’t have to mean performance — and prudence protects both the public and the mayor.