Police Dispatcher Warns Drug Dealer

By Sean Stillmaker in News on Nov 20, 2010 4:00PM

The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled it’s not necessarily a crime for a police dispatcher to tip off drug dealers of incoming heat. While working as a dispatcher for the Glenwood Police Department Carmecita Williams warned a drug dealer of possible police presence in his area. The dealer was also the father of her son.

Williams made three calls to Greg Stroud on July 12, 1998. On the first call Williams said, “Keep your scanner on there is some stuff going on in your area.” On the second call she said, “You have some eyes staged at the [South Suburban College],” according to court documents of the Nov. 18 opinion.

The trial court found Williams guilty of official misconduct and sentenced her to two years probation. The appellate court reversed the conviction and entered a judgment of acquittal. The Supreme Court affirmed the decision that the offense cannot be proven because Glenwood’s police rules and regulations are not laws, a requirement for an official misconduct conviction. Also Williams was a civilian employee, not bound by official status.