JOLIET, Ill. (WBBM Newsradio) -- Joliet's first female chief of police has been fired. The termination of the chief was announced on the city's official website and then shared on its Facebook page.
"City Manager Jim Capparelli announces Police Chief Dawn Malec’s employment with the Joliet Police Department has ended effective immediately," read the statement.
"The City of Joliet thanks former Chief Malec for her years of dedicated service to the Joliet community and wishes her will well in her future endeavors."
Malec told the Chicago Tribune she was fired for requesting an administrative hearing for the third time in regards to a police officer accused of leaking a dash-cam video of the controversial arrest of Eric Lurry in January 2020. Lurry died of a drug overdose several hours after his arrest while in police custody.
Sgt. Javier Esqueda is accused of illegally accessing the video and has been charged with felony misconduct. The case prompted an investigation into Joliet police practices by the Illinois attorney general’s office.
Lurry’s death was ruled a drug overdose. The video shows an officer slapping his face as he appears passed out and another officer using a collapsible baton to get drugs out of his mouth.
The city of Joliet also announced Wednesday that Caparelli has selected current Deputy Chief Robert Brown to serve as Acting Police Chief for the city police department until a permanent police chief is selected.
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