Lt. Jeremy Harrison Investigation: Joliet City Clerk Rejects 3 Joliet Patch FOIA Requests

JOLIET, IL — Joliet City Clerk Lauren O'Hara, who now serves as the city of Joliet's Freedom of Information Act officer, has rejected three separate Freedom of Information Act requests from Joliet Patch pertaining to the recent removal of Joliet Police Lt. Jeremy Harrison from his regular duties at the police department.

Harrison, 49, is also one of the highest paid people in Joliet city government. For 2024, Harrison was the fourth highest paid employee with Joliet, making $247,847, Joliet Patch has previously reported.

"Lieutenant Jeremy Harrison was placed on administrative leave (in late July). This is an investigation being conducted by the city of Joliet Inspector General, therefore I am unable to provide further details," Joliet Police Department spokesman Dwayne English advised Patch recently.

Since Harrison has been removed from his regular duties, Joliet Patch submitted three FOIA requests in regard to him. Below are the responses from O'Hara, who served as Will County Clerk for several years before being appointed as the new Joliet City Clerk in the summer of 2024 by city manager Beth Beatty.

FOIA No. 1 - O'Hara's response: "We have received your FOIA request dated August 05, 2025. You requested the following: 'Joliet Patch submits this FOIA seeking access to any correspondence from city officials and or police officials to the city's new Inspector General in regard to Joliet Police Lt. Jeremy Harrison, who is no longer performing his regular duties as of Aug. 4.'

"This letter is to inform you that your FOIA request is being denied for the following reasons; 5 ILCS 140/7.5(h); Records of any lawfully created State or local inspector general's office that would be exempt if created or obtained by an Executive Inspector General's Office."

FOIA No. 2 - O'Hara's response: "We have received your FOIA request dated August 05, 2025. You requested the following: 'Joliet Patch seeks access to any correspondence provided to Joliet Police Lt. Jeremy Harrison advising him of any change or changes in his work status.' This letter is to inform you that your FOIA request is being denied for the following reasons; 7(1)(d)(ii) Interference w/ Active Administrative Enforcement Proceedings Allows a public body to withhold records when disclosure would interfere with active administrative enforcement proceedings conducted by the public body that received the FOIA."

FOIA No. 3 O'Hara's response: "We have received your FOIA request dated August 05, 2025. You requested the following: 'Although the Joliet Police Department has shared various photos of Joliet Police Department Lt. Jeremy Harrison on its Facebook page over the years, Joliet Patch submits this FOIA seeking access to the most current official photo ID that the city has on file for Harrison.'

"This letter is to inform you that your FOIA request is being denied for the following reasons; 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(d)(vi), Information that, if disclosed, might endanger anyone’s life or physical safety. Lt. Harrison is assigned to an undercover role."

Back in 2018, the Joliet Police administration under Chief Brian Benton and Lt. Marc Reid of Internal Affairs chose not to launch an internal affairs investigation against Harrison involving a late night off-duty hit-and-run crash into a parked vehicle along a Shorewood subdivision. The incident involved allegations of intoxicated driving as relayed by another motorist who called 911 and witnessed the incident, not knowing Harrison's identity.

However, the previous year, in 2017, Harrison received a two-day suspension related to allegations that he left the Joliet police far west side substation while still on duty to carry on a sexual relationship with a female employee of the Joliet Police Department.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

• JPD Lt. Harrison's 2018 Crash: No Discipline, No Reports
• Eric Lurry Decision: Judge Rules On Federal Lawsuit Against 4 Joliet Police Officials
• Lt. Jeremy Harrison's Off-Duty Crash 'All Covered Up:' Source