Why was Crestwood, Illinois police officer with troubled history allowed to resign after DUI?
A Crestwood, Illinois police officer recently
charged with his second DUI
has a troubled history in many other respects.
CBS News Chicago obtained personnel files for Crestwood police Officer Christopher Spencer, who
has since resigned
from his department. The files show issues involving the mistreatment of women and a state fraud investigation — as well as the two drunken driving incidents.
Spencer, 49, was arrested by Midlothian police Monday, March 31, after allegedly being involved in two incidents less than an hour apart.
Midlothian police said he was first involved in a hit-and-run crash in the parking lot of a White Castle on South Cicero Avenue. Then, about 40 minutes later, police said he crashed his car into a home's garage in the 15100 block of South Kostner Avenue.
Police said the homeowner told officers the driver was drinking from a bottle of liquor as he sat in the car.
Midlothian police were confused when they caught up to Spencer at the second crash site. They said Spencer appeared impaired and refused a breathalyzer, and video shows him claiming a bottle of blackberry Crown Royal in the car was not his.
But Spencer's personnel file outlines some concerns about other conduct beyond that, and also about why he was allowed to resign when the file shows he should have been terminated.
The drunken driving arrest last month was Spencer's second. On Jan. 12, 2022, his blood alcohol was three times the legal limit when he drove his red Ford through someone's lawn. An empty bottle of Fireball whiskey in the cab of the Ford.
Spencer spent a year under court supervision for that arrest.
The 2022 DUI was listed as the top reason for a Last Chance Agreement filed in Spencer's personnel file with the Crestwood Police Department. But the disciplinary form outlines other allegations.
They included:
The form required a 15-day suspension from Crestwood PD and workplace sensitivity training, adding any future violations would result in immediate termination.
But Spencer instead resigned from the department following his recent arrest.
Spencer's case file also includes multiple commendations from a drunk driving prevention organization.
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