A recently fired Deerfield Police Department community service officer has
been charged with skimming cash from a village commuter lot over several years.
From April 26, 2007, to April 26 of this year, David Dowell,
50, of the 200 block of South Maple Avenue, Wauconda, took more than $500 but less than $10,000,
according to Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Christen Bishop.
On April 26, Dowell was discovered with $500 in his
possession, Bishop said in Lake County Circuit Court on Wednesday.
One of Dowell's assignments as a community service officer was
to collect the money from the pay stations at the commuter lot, Bishop said.
An investigation by Deerfield police resulted in the charges
against Dowell, who had been a community service officer with the department
for about 24 years, Deerfield police said in a statement. He was fired in the
wake of the charges, police said.
"The village of Deerfield and the Deerfield Police
Department set a very high standard for the conduct of its employees, and
behavior of this type cannot and will not be condoned," said Deerfield
police Chief John Sliozis in a statement.
Dowell's salary was $58,894. Community service officers have
no police powers and serve as support to the department, according to Deerfield
Deputy Chief Tom Keane.
The department has two such full-time positions, Keane said.
At the time of Dowell's arrest, he was the only community service officer
because the other had been transferred to another part of the department, Keane
said.
Dowell turned himself in May 10 on a $100,000 warrant. Bond
was set at $15,000. He paid the required 10 percent and was released, Bishop
said. He declined to comment when reached by phone Wednesday.
If found guilty on the seven counts of official misconduct,
including theft of government property by a public employee and theft by
deception, Dowell would face sentences ranging from probation to seven years in
prison, Judge John Phillips said.
Dowell is due in court June 14 for a pretrial hearing.