A Chicago police officer with more complaints filed against him than any other in the department's history is facing termination. Officer Joseph Vecchio, who joined the Chicago Police Department in October 2019, has been the subject of 76 complaints filed with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA).
Allegations against Vecchio have included domestic abuse, civil rights violations, and providing false statements concerning traffic stops involving firearms. COPA has recommended his termination following two disciplinary cases.
Last year, COPA Chief LaKenya White alerted the former police superintendent to Vecchio's "concerning number of complaints," noting that he had the highest number of log number investigations within the department. White stated that the increasing number of complaints suggested the need for immediate intervention by the Chicago Police Department.
Two cases presented to the Police Board on Thursday involved Vecchio's searches of vehicles. In one incident on Christmas 2024, Vecchio stopped a vehicle parked in a loading zone. After discovering the occupant had a license to own a gun, Vecchio demanded the man exit the vehicle for a search, during which a firearm was found in the center console. However, arrest reports stated officers saw the man pull an object from his waistband, a claim disputed by bodycam footage. Police Board member Arlette Porter noted that officers "had no reasonable articulable suspicion of the man before searching his vehicle."
Porter stated that Vecchio's "intentional inaccuracies, untruths, and misleading testimony before the Court was egregious and in direct contravention to CPD policy regarding honesty and accountability." While the former superintendent had recommended no discipline for this case, the Police Board overruled, agreeing with COPA's termination recommendation.
The second case, which also involved a similar situation, did have the former superintendent recommend termination.
Vecchio has previously been suspended for 15 days. The Near North District's 1863 tactical team, to which Vecchio belongs, has also garnered a negative reputation, with over 90 percent of complaints against the team involving traffic stops of African Americans. COPA Director of Investigations Steffany Hreno accused the team of using traffic stops as a pretext for investigating other crimes, engaging in insults and threats, and improperly using body-worn cameras and filing incomplete paperwork.
It remains unclear when a final decision will be made regarding Vecchio's employment status. The Chicago Police Department deferred comment to the Chicago Police Board, and the Daily Mail has reached out to Vecchio, the Chicago Police Board, and COPA for comment.