Two Chicago police officers have been relieved of police duties after being accused of sexual assault in Rogers Park late last month. In the early morning hours of March 30th, the officers picked up their alleged victim near Sheffield and Addison streets. They then drove her to her nearby apartment where at least one of the officers sexually assaulted her.
Speaking during a press conference, Chicago Police Interim Superintendent Terry Hillard expressed his “extreme outrage and disappointment” that such accusations had been made against his department. If the allegations are proven true, Hillard said the officers will be held accountable and punished. “I will not tolerate this type of behavior; the Chicago Police Department will not tolerate this kind of behavior.” (Janssen & Sobol.)
According to a police report, the 22-year old victim was walking around and crying after leaving the home of a male friend. The two had been arguing and drinking.At that point, the two officers then pulled up beside her in a police SUV and offered her a ride home. She agreed (Janssen & Sobol.)
The woman told (other) police that she had sex with one of the officers in the passenger seat of the SUV. According to the report, she did not say “no” to the sex. The officers then took her to her apartment near the 1300 block of Greenleaf. All three went inside and played strip poker. She then had sex with the other officer in her bed. (Meisner, Eisner & Curry.)
But then she began banging the wall with her hands. She was hoping to draw her neighbor’s attention because she felt intimidated by the officers and was afraid to say “no” to their sexual advances, the report said (Janssen & Sobol)
She got up and ran out of her apartment screaming and pounded on the door of a male neighbor who didn’t wake immediately. Instead, a female neighbor saw the woman and placed a call to 9-1-1 around 3AM. The male neighbor then came to door to see a naked man running down the hallway and another in a Chicago Police Uniform walking away.
When the good cops arrived, they took the woman to Saint Francis hospital in Evanston where she was treated. During the investigation, police found a cell phone belonging to one of the accused officers in her apartment.
Both officers were arrested and released and have been assigned to administrative duties while the investigation continues. The officers have both asserted their Fifth Amendment rights, and the same attorney represents them both. The officers are both in their 30s, and have been on the job for a decade. There is no word on how long or how closely the officers worked together.
While all of the accused are innocent until proven guilty, the cell phone found at the scene is damning evidence in this case. The hardest part for the victim will be proving that the sex was not “consensual.” When asked his personal opinion on whether consent would change his reaction to the case, Superintendent Hillard said, “… [It’s] inappropriate. You can’t justify it…”
Indeed, whether or not they are convicted of criminal charges, the conduct of these officers is simply unjustifiable. It is the job of the police to serve and protect, not prey and coerce. The fact that they used a police vehicle to allegedly sexually assault a woman while on duty undermines public trust for the police, and that is only further detriment to Chicago (not to mention an egregious use of our tax dollars.)
Negatively conceived, this story could be seen as further reason to distrust police. However, we at Dolan Law Offices hope that those who are the victims of police misconduct will speak up and offer a corrective to this wanton abuse of power. In so doing, Chicago citizens will force the CPD realize the shape and scope of its problems, and they will do their best to eliminate the bad cops and hire good ones.
The police are meant to serve and protect. By and large, they do their job. However, it’s also well known that the CPD is not without its problems. This is what we seek to correct. If you or anyone you know has been a victim of police abuse, please contact Dolan Legal for your free consultation.
–Steven Flores
Sources Attributed
Kim Janssen &Rosemary Sobol. “Cops accused of sexual assault” Chicago Sun-Times. 1 April, 2011.
Jason Meisner, David Eisner and Pat Curry. “2 Chicago cops under investigation for alleged assault” 31 March, 2011.
tucking in your shirt and
quick weight loss Should Cracked boycott the Beijing Olympics
miranda lambert weight lossBold and Beautiful Red Mermaid Wedding Dresses