A Chicago police officer assigned to the Near North (18th) District tactical team has been relieved of his police powers following a series of misconduct allegations tied to traffic stops involving Black motorists.
Officer Richard Rodriquez was stripped of his badge and firearm on Friday, becoming the fifth member of the 18th District tactical team to be relieved of police powers after oversight agencies identified a pattern of undocumented and unprofessional traffic stops.
Oversight Findings
Rodriquez was flagged in a database published by Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg, which tracks patterns of alleged misconduct and identifies potential “hot spots” within the department.
According to publicly available data:
- Rodriquez had the highest number of complaints among officers in the database, aside from Officer Joseph Vecchio.
- Vecchio, also assigned to the 18th District tactical team, was previously relieved of police powers.
- Rodriquez is currently facing 28 additional complaints.
- Five complaints have been sustained, resulting in 18 total suspension days.
One sustained complaint involved an improper pedestrian search following an investigatory stop, with records noting “substantial prior findings of misconduct.”
Prior Discipline and Lawsuits
In December, Chicago Police Department leadership agreed to suspend Rodriquez for 20 days after the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) concluded he improperly searched Limorris Bell and Bell’s vehicle on September 1, 2024, near Bellevue and Michigan avenues in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood.
Bell has filed a civil lawsuit against the City of Chicago alleging constitutional violations.
Court records show Rodriquez is named in eight pending lawsuits.
Deposition Interruption
Rodriquez was reportedly relieved of his police powers during a court-ordered deposition related to a lawsuit filed by Jovan Streeter and Marquita Beecham.
The lawsuit alleges that Rodriquez conducted two unjustified traffic stops involving the plaintiffs between May 2023 and August 2023.
Compensation and Employment Status
Rodriquez earns approximately $111,252 annually as a Chicago police officer.
As of publication:
- He has been stripped of his badge and firearm.
- He remains employed but without active police powers.
- He did not respond to media requests for comment.
The Chicago Police Department has not announced whether further disciplinary action or termination proceedings are underway.
Broader Context
The 18th District tactical team has faced increased scrutiny following oversight findings identifying repeated investigatory stops involving Black men that lacked proper documentation.
The Inspector General’s database was created to identify officers and units with concentrated patterns of complaints to assist in internal accountability efforts.
Investigations and civil litigation involving Rodriquez remain ongoing.
Cop Talk LIVE will update this article if additional verified information becomes available.
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