Darien Brutality Complaint Deemed Unfounded

DARIEN, IL — No Darien police officers were involved in the physical arrest of a local resident who has since become a City Council candidate, Darien's police chief said Thursday.

Resident John Laratta has alleged in a complaint that he was injured when he was taken into custody Dec. 29, 2019. In a report last month, Police Chief Greg Thomas determined the complaint was unfounded.

Read related story: No Charges Against Darien Alderman Candidate: Police

But the report indicates that higher-ups in two agencies believed to be involved in Laratta's arrest — the DuPage County Sheriff's Office and the Woodridge Police Department — refused to let their officers answer questions in Darien's internal review. Laratta was being investigated in connection with shots fired in the 8000 block of Barrymore Drive, where he lives. This week, police said prosecutors would not press charges against Laratta.

In his Dec. 9 report, Thomas said he decided to investigate the complaint, even though Laratta did not provide an affidavit, as is required to trigger an investigation under state law. The chief said he did so because of the seriousness of the allegations.

Laratta, who filed to run for City Council last month, said that when he was arrested, an officer handcuffing him "fell hard (on) my back between my shoulders injuring a recent(ly) broken rib more." He said when he was taken to the hospital a few hours later because of chest pains, he was told by medical personnel that the injury was the result of the officer jumping on him. He further alleged the officer "handcuffed me hard and forceful," leaving a cut on his left wrist.

According to Thomas's report, a Darien sergeant reported that an unknown Woodridge police officer handcuffed Laratta. Darien police tried to interview the Woodridge officer who may have taken Laratta into custody, but was barred from doing so by two Woodridge deputy chiefs, the report said. Also, three officials in the DuPage County Sheriff's Office would not allow Darien police to interview deputies who may have helped take Laratta into custody, according to the report.

Darien Patche asked Thomas whether it was customary for police departments not to cooperate with fellow departments' internal reviews. Thomas, formerly Aurora's police chief, said he wasn't sure.

"I don't recall such circumstances in Aurora, but we rarely needed outside help and rarely did we get a citizen complaint," he said in an email. "Darien and surrounding agencies frequently back each other up, but rarely receive a citizen complaint."

Thomas said he wasn't sure what harm would result if other departments cooperated, especially in the case of a lawsuit. It would be better to have actions documented, he said, rather than relying on memory.

As for Laratta's allegation, the Darien sergeant said he did not recall Laratta being in a "completely prone" position. In a later interview, the sergeant said he was not sure how Laratta was positioned when he was taken into custody.

Laratta said that as a result of the handcuffing, "my left wrist was cut so deep, due to hard, hard clamping."

In his report, Thomas said no medical reports were available in the investigation, but he said he determined that the handcuffs were placed properly and adjusted when Laratta complained.

Laratta also said he was dragged to the ambulance when he experienced the chest pains. According to the police chief's report, the responding fire department did not permit ambulance personnel to be interviewed. Officers involved, though, indicate that the dragging did not happen, but there is limited video, the report said.

Laratta also contended he was questioned without his Miranda rights being read to him, even though he requested an attorney. He said the ambulance was used as a "makeshift interrogation room" and that a number of officers grilled him at the same time.

The audio from one officer's video shows that no officers asked Laratta questions, Thomas said.

"There is booking video that does not have audio," the chief said. "One cannot be precise, but it does not look as though Mr. Laratta was being interrogated. It does appear as some forms were being completed and Mr. Laratta asked questions relative to the forms."

Laratta also said police officers laughed at him when pants fell down, with his underwear having shifted in a way that exposed his genitals.

Check the report written by Darien Police Chief Greg Thomas in response to resident John Laratta's complaint.

Thomas responded, "I'm not sure at what point this occurred, but I did not hear laughter on the audio portion of (an officer's) video. When moving from the squad car/sally port area into the booking/jail portion of the building, Mr. Laratta's pants fell down. The officers had Mr. Laratta sit on a stool and was assisted with getting his pants pulled up. It is hard to tell from the angle of the video, but it does not appear that officers are laughing at Mr. Laratta."

Thomas said he found all of Laratta's allegations unfounded. He said the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office wanted a copy of his report because Laratta had filed a complaint with that office. The state's attorney, he said, was reviewing the matter.

"As of this time, I have not heard back from the (state's attorney) on the matter," he said in his Dec. 9 report.

Laratta has written extensively on Darien Patch about what happened on the night in question.

"These vile and revolting actions taken against me by the vicious, uncontrollable thugs of the Darien Police Department have shown that the elected leaders of Darien have failed in their duty and obligation to protect the lives and welfare of just common Darien citizens, from such rogue police," he wrote Thursday.

Laratta is running against Ward 5 Alderwoman Mary Sullivan in the April 6 election. He has not returned Patch's email messages for comment.