Chicago Police Officer Accused of Excessive Use of Force, Racial Profiling Amid High Complaint Count.
Officer Joseph Vecchio has been benched by Chicago police after he accumulated more complaints than any other officer in his six years on the force, most stemming from his work on a tactical team that has developed a notorious reputation.
According to LaKenya White, the interim chief administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, Vecchio had faced 76 investigations since joining the department in October 2019, including allegations of domestic abuse and civil rights violations.
A review by COPA found that most complaints against Vecchio came from his work on a tactical team that has been criticized for its pattern of misconduct, including excessive use of force, racial profiling, and profanity-laced interactions with suspects.
The team's history was also marked by high-profile incidents, such as the killing of Dexter Reed in March 2024, which led to reforms aimed at improving traffic stop practices.
Vecchio's behavior has raised concerns about constitutional policing, prompting an investigation into allegations of officers using traffic stops as a pretext to probe for other crimes and engaging in profanities and threats of violence.
In a letter to the district commander, Steffany Hreno, director of investigations for COPA, warned that 90% of complaints involving Vecchio's unit were related to racial profiling. The tactic covers an area with just 6% Black population, sparking widespread criticism.
Vecchio has also been named in at least 15 lawsuits, four of which have been settled for a combined $100,000, according to city records.
Officer Joseph Vecchio has been benched by Chicago police after he accumulated more complaints than any other officer in his six years on the force, most stemming from his work on a tactical team that has developed a notorious reputation.
According to LaKenya White, the interim chief administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, Vecchio had faced 76 investigations since joining the department in October 2019, including allegations of domestic abuse and civil rights violations.
A review by COPA found that most complaints against Vecchio came from his work on a tactical team that has been criticized for its pattern of misconduct, including excessive use of force, racial profiling, and profanity-laced interactions with suspects.
The team's history was also marked by high-profile incidents, such as the killing of Dexter Reed in March 2024, which led to reforms aimed at improving traffic stop practices.
Vecchio's behavior has raised concerns about constitutional policing, prompting an investigation into allegations of officers using traffic stops as a pretext to probe for other crimes and engaging in profanities and threats of violence.
In a letter to the district commander, Steffany Hreno, director of investigations for COPA, warned that 90% of complaints involving Vecchio's unit were related to racial profiling. The tactic covers an area with just 6% Black population, sparking widespread criticism.
Vecchio has also been named in at least 15 lawsuits, four of which have been settled for a combined $100,000, according to city records.
u know whats sad about dis? its not just vecchio, its a systemic prob with law enforcement dat dont need no heroics or badge-wearing 2 fix 
. its all bout accountability 4 every1 on de force, especially those in tactical teams 
. like, whos got de time 2 be learnin de hard way 4 years later? 
. how sposed u know someone's intentions or behavior jus cuz dey got da right skin tone? 
. newsflash: it ain't about bein tough, its about followin de law & respectin people's rights 
.
They're just using traffic stops as a way to fish out other crimes? That doesn't sound right to me. And 90% of complaints are about racial profiling? That's some serious systemic issues here. Like, what's the real reason they're targeting those areas with such high crime rates? Is it really just random or is there something more sinister at play?
A Chicago cop is getting benched after racking up more complaints than anyone else on his team! 76 investigations already? That's crazy talk! The fact that most of those complaints were from his tactical team's questionable methods like excessive force and racial profiling just makes me so sad. We need police officers who genuinely care about serving their communities, not ones who are perpetuating systemic issues 
. And to think he's been named in 15 lawsuits already? That's a whole lot of accountability needed 
. And what really gets my goat is that 90% of those complaints are related to racial profiling! It's like they're perpetuating systemic injustices instead of trying to address them 
.
. It sounds like there's a toxic culture going on here where people feel like they can do whatever and get away with it.
. I mean, I know traffic stops can be tough situations, but using them as an excuse to probe for other crimes is a whole different story. It's like they're playing dress-up cop or something 
. I mean i get it, policing can be tough but come on vecchio's got some serious 'tude 
. and 6% black population area? that's just crazy talk 
.