Commission fires police officer
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
The Chatham Police and Fire Commission voted last Wednesday night to officially dismiss officer
John Wehmhoff from the Chatham Police Department.
The actions came after the Commission held a closed session hearing Sept. 3, and then last
Wednesday reconvened to render a decision on disciplinary action.
Wednesday's meeting lasted about 10 minutes, with a number of local media in attendance, along
with about 40 local residents. Sangamon County and State Police troopers were called in for added
security, but there were no incidents or outbursts.
Commission Chair Sherri Anderson-Martin was not in attendance, though it was noted that she
had been called away on family business. Marc Bell and Randy Council both voted in favor of
Wehmhoff's dismissal, and Commission attorney Don Craven read a summary of the final
administrative decision to the gathering. Craven indicated that Anderson-Martin concurred with the
decision that was made.
Wehmhoff, 47, an 11-year veteran of the CPD, had been placed on paid administrative leave
following an April 24 traffic stop in which he ended up firing nine shots from his service weapon.
Several investigations followed, with the matter coming before the Police and Fire Commission on
Sept. 3.
At that time, after hearing testimony from witnesses and those involved in the case, the
Commission voted to suspend Wehmhoff without pay pending a final administrative ruling. Both the
final administrative decision and minutes from the closed hearing on Sept. 3 were released to the
media.
Wehmhoff's attorney, Ron Stone, said the Commission's final decision is subject to appeal under
the Administrative Review Act. He said he would talk it over with his client about what options they
may pursue.
Following the Commission's ruling Wednesday, Stone was very pointed in his comments to the
media.
"In my opinion, this is why police agencies have unions, so neutral arbitrators can hear and decide
cases," he stated. "Unfortunately, because there is no union here, the matter is heard by appointees
of the city itself, and I think that speaks for itself.
"I think the evidence clearly showed that the passengers goaded Officer Wehmhoff into the deadly
force situation by continued non-compliance and thrusting of his hand out from under the seat
towards Officer Wehmhoff," he continued. "The actions were consistent with nothing else other than
he had a weapon."
In addition, Stone alleged a lack of training within the Chatham Police Department.
"I think the evidence was absolutely clear that if the force was deemed unreasonable, it was
attributable to the inadequate and complete lack of training that this agency has," Stone stated. "The
evidence showed that he hasn't had any training in this sort of circumstance since he left the police
academy 11 years ago."
John Myers, who served as the prosecuting attorney, had recommended to the Commission that
Wehmhoff be dismissed, in concert with discussions with then-Police Chief Jim Dodson. Myers also
serves as the Village of Chatham attorney.
"What happened out there was a lapse of judgement unrelated to any training issues," Myers
stated. "Clearly, any time you discharge your firearm in a residential area, there are issues of public
safety, and certainly I argued that to the Commission."
The testimony of a nearby witness also was deemed to be more credible than Wehmhoff's
testimony, the Commission ruled. The witness stated that all nine shots fired came as the vehicle, a
1995 Chevrolet Caprice, was pulling away from the initial traffic stop, while Wehmhoff's testimony
indicated that the first eight shots were fired at a stationary vehicle.
•Back on April 24, Wehmhoff was on patrol just after 6 p.m. and heading north on Route 4, crossing
the Walnut intersection when he noticed a Chevy Caprice in the southbound lane that had no front
license plate. Wehmhoff told the Commission that he made eye contact with all three occupants in
the car and turned around to initiate a traffic stop.
In his first transmissions to dispatch, Wehmhoff noticed that the subjects were moving around in
the car and asked for backup, according to the final decision. Officer Adam DeJaynes was en route to
the scene, and Wehmhoff requested additional backup.
After weaving through traffic, the Caprice stopped within 2-3 blocks of the Route 4/Walnut
intersection on West Walnut. Wehmhoff exited his vehicle and demanded the occupants all show
their hands, with two in compliance. The front seat passenger, however, was moving around and
reaching under the seat, the decision reads.
After all three occupants had shown their hands, Wehmhoff had to step back from the scene and
stop an oncoming vehicle. When he turned back, he noticed the front seat passenger had reached
under the seat again and raised his right hand toward Wehmhoff. According to the decision,
Wehmhoff could not identify a weapon at any time.
Wehmhoff then opened fire at the front seat passenger, firing off eight shots before firing a ninth
shot into a back tire as the vehicle was pulling away. No one was hit or injured, and the vehicle was
pulled over in another part of town and the occupants were detained without further incident.
According to the Commission's decision, there were "significant gaps and inconsistencies" in
Wehmhoff's version of events. The Commission ruled that Wehmhoff fired nine shots at a moving
car, in violation of Department regulations, and that violation alone represented grounds for
termination.
The Commission also found that Wehmhoff endangered public safety and that he did nothing to
"de-escalate" the situation, rather he "escalated" it.
Also, according to expert testimony, basic police training in Illinois teaches officers to stay in or
near their vehicle and wait for backup in such situations.
Finally, the Commission determined, "The experts, and Wehmhoff's own testimony, show that the
most basic police training rules were violated by leaving his vehicle and aggressively approaching
this car. Wehmhoff's actions put his safety and the safety of the public, including the safety of the car's
occupants, in jeopardy, and unnecessarily so."
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
The Chatham Police and Fire Commission voted last Wednesday night to officially dismiss officer
John Wehmhoff from the Chatham Police Department.
The actions came after the Commission held a closed session hearing Sept. 3, and then last
Wednesday reconvened to render a decision on disciplinary action.
Wednesday's meeting lasted about 10 minutes, with a number of local media in attendance, along
with about 40 local residents. Sangamon County and State Police troopers were called in for added
security, but there were no incidents or outbursts.
Commission Chair Sherri Anderson-Martin was not in attendance, though it was noted that she
had been called away on family business. Marc Bell and Randy Council both voted in favor of
Wehmhoff's dismissal, and Commission attorney Don Craven read a summary of the final
administrative decision to the gathering. Craven indicated that Anderson-Martin concurred with the
decision that was made.
Wehmhoff, 47, an 11-year veteran of the CPD, had been placed on paid administrative leave
following an April 24 traffic stop in which he ended up firing nine shots from his service weapon.
Several investigations followed, with the matter coming before the Police and Fire Commission on
Sept. 3.
At that time, after hearing testimony from witnesses and those involved in the case, the
Commission voted to suspend Wehmhoff without pay pending a final administrative ruling. Both the
final administrative decision and minutes from the closed hearing on Sept. 3 were released to the
media.
Wehmhoff's attorney, Ron Stone, said the Commission's final decision is subject to appeal under
the Administrative Review Act. He said he would talk it over with his client about what options they
may pursue.
Following the Commission's ruling Wednesday, Stone was very pointed in his comments to the
media.
"In my opinion, this is why police agencies have unions, so neutral arbitrators can hear and decide
cases," he stated. "Unfortunately, because there is no union here, the matter is heard by appointees
of the city itself, and I think that speaks for itself.
"I think the evidence clearly showed that the passengers goaded Officer Wehmhoff into the deadly
force situation by continued non-compliance and thrusting of his hand out from under the seat
towards Officer Wehmhoff," he continued. "The actions were consistent with nothing else other than
he had a weapon."
In addition, Stone alleged a lack of training within the Chatham Police Department.
"I think the evidence was absolutely clear that if the force was deemed unreasonable, it was
attributable to the inadequate and complete lack of training that this agency has," Stone stated. "The
evidence showed that he hasn't had any training in this sort of circumstance since he left the police
academy 11 years ago."
John Myers, who served as the prosecuting attorney, had recommended to the Commission that
Wehmhoff be dismissed, in concert with discussions with then-Police Chief Jim Dodson. Myers also
serves as the Village of Chatham attorney.
"What happened out there was a lapse of judgement unrelated to any training issues," Myers
stated. "Clearly, any time you discharge your firearm in a residential area, there are issues of public
safety, and certainly I argued that to the Commission."
The testimony of a nearby witness also was deemed to be more credible than Wehmhoff's
testimony, the Commission ruled. The witness stated that all nine shots fired came as the vehicle, a
1995 Chevrolet Caprice, was pulling away from the initial traffic stop, while Wehmhoff's testimony
indicated that the first eight shots were fired at a stationary vehicle.
•Back on April 24, Wehmhoff was on patrol just after 6 p.m. and heading north on Route 4, crossing
the Walnut intersection when he noticed a Chevy Caprice in the southbound lane that had no front
license plate. Wehmhoff told the Commission that he made eye contact with all three occupants in
the car and turned around to initiate a traffic stop.
In his first transmissions to dispatch, Wehmhoff noticed that the subjects were moving around in
the car and asked for backup, according to the final decision. Officer Adam DeJaynes was en route to
the scene, and Wehmhoff requested additional backup.
After weaving through traffic, the Caprice stopped within 2-3 blocks of the Route 4/Walnut
intersection on West Walnut. Wehmhoff exited his vehicle and demanded the occupants all show
their hands, with two in compliance. The front seat passenger, however, was moving around and
reaching under the seat, the decision reads.
After all three occupants had shown their hands, Wehmhoff had to step back from the scene and
stop an oncoming vehicle. When he turned back, he noticed the front seat passenger had reached
under the seat again and raised his right hand toward Wehmhoff. According to the decision,
Wehmhoff could not identify a weapon at any time.
Wehmhoff then opened fire at the front seat passenger, firing off eight shots before firing a ninth
shot into a back tire as the vehicle was pulling away. No one was hit or injured, and the vehicle was
pulled over in another part of town and the occupants were detained without further incident.
According to the Commission's decision, there were "significant gaps and inconsistencies" in
Wehmhoff's version of events. The Commission ruled that Wehmhoff fired nine shots at a moving
car, in violation of Department regulations, and that violation alone represented grounds for
termination.
The Commission also found that Wehmhoff endangered public safety and that he did nothing to
"de-escalate" the situation, rather he "escalated" it.
Also, according to expert testimony, basic police training in Illinois teaches officers to stay in or
near their vehicle and wait for backup in such situations.
Finally, the Commission determined, "The experts, and Wehmhoff's own testimony, show that the
most basic police training rules were violated by leaving his vehicle and aggressively approaching
this car. Wehmhoff's actions put his safety and the safety of the public, including the safety of the car's
occupants, in jeopardy, and unnecessarily so."
Chatham Clarion
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Issue Date: Oct. 8, 2009