‘Potential Criminal Misconduct By Police Officers From Two Different Police Departments’: Filing

JOLIET, IL — The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office has called for a special prosecutor to investigate police officers from two different departments.

Chief Judge Richard Schoenstedt appointed a special prosecutor to the case on Monday, according to court records. The case file does not identify the special prosecutor.

In a motion filed last week, the state’s attorney’s office explained the need for an outside prosecutor by saying there “is potential criminal misconduct by police officers from two different police departments with whom the state’s attorney’s office prosecutes cases and with officers whom the state’s attorney’s office calls as witnesses in criminal cases.”

The order appointing a special prosecutor said “this case involves the offenses of driving under the influence and other possible offenses related to the incident.

The order also lists a Manhattan Police Department report number but does not specify if the officers under investigation are from that department.

Manhattan Police Chief Joseph Wazny said he was aware of the matter but could not discuss it at this time.

"It's an open investigation and one I can't comment on," Wazny said.

The spokesman for the state’s attorney’s office, Charles B. Pelkie, said the special prosecutor was requested to take a look at the case.

“It’s an incident under review that stems from a driving under the influence case,” Pelkie said.

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