> 3 CHICAGO COPS SUSPENDED OVER ALLEGED BEATING
>
>
> By Andrew Martin, Chicago Tribune Staff Writer
>
> Three Gresham District tactical officers have been suspended and are
> expected to be fired amid allegations they forced their way into a South
> Side home and beat and robbed its occupants.
>
> Meanwhile, in an unrelated matter, a fourth Gresham District officer is
> under investigation for allegedly raping a 19yearold college student
> at gunpoint.
>
> Although no criminal charges have been filed in either case, the
> allegations are the latest black eye for the Gresham District, 819 W.
> 85th St., and for the police department's elite tactical units,
> plainclothes officers who are given broad leeway to battle gangs and
> drugs.
>
> Just two months ago, three other Gresham tactical officers were
> indicted by federal prosecutors for allegedly robbing undercover agents
> posing as drug dealers.
>
> And last December, seven Austin District tactical officers were
> described as "brazenly corrupt" for doing much the same thing: robbing
> and extorting money from undercover agents posing as drug dealers.
>
> Police Supt. Matt Rodriguez, who has instituted a number of reforms to
> restore credibility to the tactical units, suspended the officers on
> Monday, recommending they be fired after an internal investigation.
>
> None of the officersJerry McGhee, 40, a nineyear veteran; Thomas
> Davis, 31, a sevenyear veteran; and Brian Burton, 27, a fouryear
> veterancould be located for comment.
>
> Rodriguez's recommendation will be forwarded to the civilian Police
> Board, which can either affirm or overturn his decision. The officers'
> conduct is also being reviewed by federal prosecutors, law enforcement
> sources said.
>
> The alleged home invasion occurred on Sept. 23, 1995, at a twostory,
> frame house in the South Shore neighborhood, outside the borders of the
> Gresham District, according to law enforcement sources.
>
> The family that lives in the house said Wednesday they had never seen
> the officers before, speculating their house was chosen because the
> officers believed there were hidden stashes of money. They asked that
> their names and address be withheld for fear of retribution.
>
> The officers arrived just after dark and pushed into the home, telling
> one 34yearold they had a warrant for his arrest. The officers told his
> mother, who is 61, they were conducting a raid because of repeated
> complaints about heavy traffic in and out of the house.
>
> The officers kept asking, "Where's the money?" and talking about a
> "stash," said the victims.
>
> The officers also were allegedly careful to protect their identities.
>
> One of the officers stood by the front door as the other two searched
> the house, taking $2,900 from a safe and ordering about 15 people in the
> house into the living room, the victims said. They demanded wallets and
> purses and took money, the victims said.
>
> The officers were caught because they arrested two men from the South
> Shore house and took them to the Gresham station, where one was charged
> with disorderly conduct and the other with possession of cocaine. In the
> arrest reports, they said the men were arrested within the Gresham
> District borders, the victims said.
>
> After several victims reported the incident to police, investigators
> traced the alleged home invasion to McGhee, Davis and Burton. The
> officers were transferred to desk jobs pending the outcome of the
> internal investigation.
>
> Chuck Ingles, an attorney who represents the man charged with
> possession, predicted the case would be thrown out of court when it goes
> to trial next month.
>
> In the alleged rape, law enforcement sources confirmed that the
> 36yearold officer, a sevenyear veteran, is being investigated for
> raping the woman at gunpoint.
>
> While authorities released few details, a friend of the victim's,
> Alexandria Pope, said the victim and two others were stopped by the
> officer as they walked down a street about 2 a.m. Tuesday.
>
> When the 19yearold said she didn't have any identification, the
> officer allegedly ordered her into the back of his squad car and took
> her to the station, Pope said. A short time later, the officer took the
> woman to his apartment in his personal car and raped her at gunpoint,
> Pope said.
>
> The woman escaped when the officer left to take his mother to work.
>
> ) 1997 Chicago Tribune
>