REPORT TO DETAIL PROBE OF BENSENVILLE POLICE FORCE

A legal team hired by Bensenville to investigate alleged misconduct in the
village's police ranks is preparing to deliver its final report to
Bensenville officials.

Town leaders said they expect a 120-page report detailing allegations of
criminal wrongdoing within the Bensenville Police Department within a week.
Elements of the document already have been delivered to the DuPage County
state's attorney's office, officials said.

Theodore Poulos, a Chicago attorney leading Bensenville's probe, summarized
his report this week for Village Board members and about 35 onlookers. Many
in attendance were officers in the department, which has been rocked by
allegations that include tampering with evidence and falsifying
liquor-license application materials.

The allegations stem largely from drug-dealing operations that Poulos, a
former U.S. attorney, alleged took place at Club Latino, a Bensenville
nightclub that closed last year after an FBI raid.

The nightclub, at 307 E. Irving Park Rd., was owned by the parents of Sgt.
Joseph DeAnda, who was reassigned to street duty as the probe began and
recently was placed on a paid leave of absence.

"That interest constitutes an obvious conflict of interest," Poulos said.

Poulos alleged that DeAnda prepared liquor license applications for the
nightclub in 1996 and 1997 and signed his father's name to them.

He added that DeAnda admitted writing internal memos recommending the
club's license be renewed and having the department's then-executive aide,
Sgt. Richard Mosher, sign them to conceal that DeAnda had written them.

Poulos said police officials had made several arrests at the club, which he
said was a known location to buy drugs, often from behind the bar.

"Drug transactions were a common occurrence at Club Latino," Poulos said.
"It was common knowledge inside and outside the bar that drugs were readily
available at Club Latino."

But he said the officers dealing with the memos did not mention the drug
activity at the club.

"The memos didn't disclose the fact that these officers knew that
drug-dealing was occurring in Club Latino," he said.

The probe has centered on the possibility that DeAnda and Mosher
essentially shielded Club Latino from police investigators.

Poulos also said former Police Chief Walt Hitchuk, who resigned in the wake
of the raid and investigation, told another officer to refrain from
conducting drug investigations at the club because of the potential
embarrassment to the village. Hitchuk has denied the allegations.

In addition, DeAnda allegedly mishandled $6,000 that was seized in previous
drug and gambling raids, Poulos said.

Richard Reimer, attorney for DeAnda and Mosher, said Thursday he does not
expect indictments against the two.

"I believe that the allegations raised do not amount to violations of any
criminal law or statute," said Reimer, who added that investigators have
not found enough evidence on the two sergeants to warrant their discharge.
"I am confident that nothing that's been uncovered in the investigation
will substantiate anything that suggests they covered for Club Latino."

Reimer also chided Poulos and Bensenville officials for not acting on
allegations of wrongdoing raised against other officers during the probe.
The attorney said he is aware of accusations that have surfaced in
interviews performed by attorneys for the village.

Poulos would not dismiss the possibility that others could be targeted.

"Other matters are still under investigation," he said.

One other name that has surfaced as a result of the probe is that of
William Wassman, an officer who was indicted in February on charges of
obstruction of justice and official misconduct for allegedly tampering with
evidence in drug cases.

Poulos said Wassman, who was in charge of storing evidence, destroyed
cocaine after being instructed to preserve it. As a result, the DuPage
County state's attorney's office dismissed charges against a defendant in a
drug case.

Wassman also is accused of taking another quantity of cocaine, which he
said he destroyed, relabeling it and using it in a different case against
drug suspect David Poters, who was convicted in 1996, Poulos said.

"His conduct impeded the process of justice," Poulos said of Wassman.

Poulos added that Wassman allegedly falsified other police officials'
written statements that they had seen him destroy evidence.

Wassman has been on paid administrative leave since December and the Police
Department has begun steps to seek his dismissal.