Local Police Reports

Former South Suburban Officer Charged with Allegedly Impersonating a Police Officer


CHICAGO–(ENEWSPF)–May 3, 2011. A former south suburban police officer has been charged with impersonating a police officer and threatening a public official, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Tuesday. 

Michael Miller, 38, of the 1400 block of South Canal Street in Chicago has been charged with four counts of aggravated false impersonation of a police officer; three counts of threatening a public official; and four counts of false impersonation of a peace officer. He was indicted on April 29th.

Cook County Sheriff’s Police began investigating Miller on March 30th after state’s attorney investigators notified detectives that he had been impersonating a police officer and attempting to gain access to a judge and assistant state’s attorney in the Criminal Courts Building on the 2600 block of South California in Chicago. Miller had recently been paroled on March 25th from the Illinois Department of Corrections after serving half of a 12-year sentence for armed robbery and unlawful restraint. He was convicted in 2003 for using his position as a Ford Heights Police officer to shake down drug dealers for money.

On March 28th Miller attempted to gain access to the chambers of a circuit court judge, telling a Cook County Sheriff’s court deputy that he was a member of the Illinois State Police and had been instructed to report to the judge’s chambers when he was released from prison. Miller also stated he was with the Harvey Police Department and needed to speak to the judge regarding the return of his badge and gun. When the deputy stepped away to call for backup, Miller quickly left the courthouse.

Two days later, on March 31st, Miller went to the offices of an assistant state’s attorney, also at the Criminal Courts Building, and told the receptionist he was with the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department and was there to pick up his credentials. He also stated to another receptionist that he worked for the Illinois State Police, then said he was with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office and the State’s Attorney’s Office. Concerned, the clerk requested a state’s attorney investigator to speak with Miller, who informed the investigator that he needed to get paperwork signed so he could retire. He also said he was a member of the Cook County Sheriff’s Police and was attempting to gain a position in the Special Operations Unit. When the investigator said he couldn’t help, Miller left the building.

On April 1st Cook County Sheriff’s Police detectives worked with the Cook County Sheriff’s Department Central Warrant Unit, in conjunction with the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, to apprehend Miller, who also had an outstanding IDOC parole warrant for failure to report to his probation officer. After conducting surveillance and interviews, fugitive warrants investigators tracked Miller to a house on the 7100 block of South Indiana Avenue in Chicago. Officers were able to take Miller into custody on April 1st without incident.

Miller is back behind bars at the Illinois Department of Corrections’ Stateville Correctional Center. He will appear in bond court at 26th and California on May 20th.

Source: cookcountysheriff.org


ARCHIVES