JOLIET, IL — Retired Joliet Police Department Sgt. Dwayne Killian has been "permanently removed" from the Tri-County Auto Theft Unit after Killian was found keeping a forklift on his rural Kendall County property, according to minutes of a public meeting held in Springfield.
During that meeting, Joliet Police Sgt. Ed Grizzle informed fellow police officers and prosecutors from across Illinois that Killian had been keeping a forklift that was previously seized by the Illinois State Police, and awarded to the Tri-County Auto Theft Unit in 2012.
A few years ago, Grizzle and current Joliet Police Detective Cris Gombosi began to go through the inventory of the Tri-County Auto Theft Unit property, and they learned that some equipment was sold off in accordance with state seizure laws and after conversations with the Will County State's Attorney's Office, last year's meeting minutes show.
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On Wednesday, Joliet Patch broke another exclusive story, revealing Killian, who is the father of three sons who are current Joliet police officers, has retained Plainfield lawyer John Schrock to pursue legal action against the city of Joliet and the Tri-County Auto Theft Unit in connection with Killian's arrest on June 14, 2022.
Killian's legal action at the Will County Courthouse is considered a precursor to filing a civil lawsuit.
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"I wish to pursue a Civil Rights Action for my unlawful arrest on June 14, 2022, against any officers that arrested me and against any officers that made any false police reports that I have concealed theft," Killian's court filing states. "The city of Joliet and or Tri-County Auto Theft Unit are in possession of reports ... concerning my arrest on June 14, 2022."
On Thursday, Joliet Patch learned that Grizzle spoke during a public meeting on July 26, 2022, at the Illinois State Library in Springfield and Killian's name became the key topic of discussion during a large portion of the meeting.
For background, everyone was made aware that Killian had served as director of the Tri-County Auto Theft unit until 2017, when he retired from Joliet police. Gombosi became the new director, and Killian went back to being a deputy director.
Two years later, in 2019, Joliet Police Grizzle took over the director role. That same year, Killian's title with Tri-County became director of administration.
Last July, Grizzle told everyone in Springfield that Gombosi had told him about a forklift that was kept at the old Joliet steel mill property, back when the Illinois State Police were also part of the Tri-County Auto Theft Unit. Although Grizzle could not find the forklift, he later verified the forklift was awarded to Tri-County Auto Theft Unit, the meeting minutes reflect.
"Upon speaking with Mr. Killian, it was verified that Mr. Killian had the forklift in his possession," Grizzle told everyone at the meeting in Springfield.
Grizzle said he informed Killian to return the forklift, and Killian did not do so, according to the meeting minutes. At that point, Grizzle met with the Tri-County Auto Theft police board that is made up of several area prosecutors, sheriffs and police chiefs from Will, Grundy and Kankakee Counties.
A decision was made for the Tri-County Auto Theft Unit to pick up the property and "Mr. Killian was arrested by the Joliet Police Department and has been permanently removed from TCAT," Grizzle announced at the Springfield meeting.
In addition, Grizzle told everyone that Joliet's police chief, Bill Evans, asked Grizzle to continue his criminal investigation. The public meeting where Grizzle discussed Killian's June 2022 arrest and permanent removal from Tri-County was for the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking & Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention & Insurance Verification Council.
The Tri-County Auto Theft unit has received annual state grant funds to fund their operations.
During the meeting, Shorewood Police Chief Phil Arnold asked how Killian was being paid and what was Killian's relationship with Tri-County Auto Theft after Killian retired as a Joliet police sergeant in 2017 after 30 years of service.
According to Grizzle, Killian was "written in" as personnel in 2019, and he became a part-time city of Joliet employee. Given Killian's ouster, Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos asked if Grizzle was comfortable that all the property is accounted for.
The minutes show that Grizzle indicated the Tri-County Auto Theft unit knew about all the property they currently have. The agency is based in Joliet, with an office building on Joliet's near west side.
Matt Gall, of Country Financial, asked if the forklift was the only equipment that had been unaccounted.
Grizzle said there was also a trailer used to move the forklift, the meeting minutes show.
As for the value of the forklift, Grizzle said it was worth around $3,000. Tri-County planned to sell it since they work with an auction house and then the funds are deposited into Tri-County's bank account.
Before the discussion about Killian ended, one of the program directors told everyone that about seven years earlier, in 2015, about a half dozen police auto theft task forces across Illinois all lost funding and when they closed, their confiscated property was sent to the remaining units.
As a result, Tri-County Auto Theft became the last unit remaining open and property from other agencies got sent there, according to the meeting minutes.
Related Joliet Patch coverage:
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