DuPage Undersheriff Charged In Bar Disturbance In 2021: Police

ELMHURST, IL – DuPage County's undersheriff was charged with disorderly conduct during a New Year's Eve celebration five years ago in Wisconsin, according to a police report.

Security guards described Undersheriff Eddie Moore as the "primary aggressor."

In an interview Monday, Moore said a man called him a "stupid (N-word)" to his face during the incident.

Moore is running against Sean Noonan in the March 17 Republican primary for sheriff. The lone candidate in the Democratic primary is Peter Coolidge. They are vying to replace Sheriff James Mendrick, who is running for governor.

Early the morning of Jan. 1, 2021, Walworth County deputies were called to the Evolve Nightclub at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva.

According to the Walworth County report, Moore was arguing with others, with a friend trying to hold him back as he was trying to go after someone else.

A security guard told officers that he grabbed onto Moore to prevent him from reaching another person, which the guard said caused an injury to his finger, the report said. The guard told deputies that he didn't think Moore meant to hurt him.

Moore told Walworth deputies that the other people left, so the authorities had no complainant.

A deputy said he warned Moore that he could go to jail for disorderly conduct. Moore said there was no fight and that he had no idea how the security guard hurt his finger, the report said.

Moore told deputies that he was in the restroom when he heard others making racial comments. Moore emerged from a stall and ended up in the hallway near the restroom, where he said things got loud as he argued with those who made the comments, police said.

Moore said his wife and friend held him back.

Asked for identification, Moore opened his wallet for his driver's license. A deputy saw Moore's badge, which the deputy asked him about. Moore did not respond, according to the report.

Moore's friend told deputies that he went to the restroom because Moore was in there a while. The friend said someone was getting in Moore's face and that the person walked away, police said.

Moore asked to see the video footage because he never saw security near him, according to the report.

Moore also then told deputies he was DuPage County's undersheriff. Moore said he gave this information because he didn't want to get killed in jail, the report said.

Moore was issued a county ordinance citation charging disorderly conduct, authorities said.

In the interview with Patch, Moore said he walked into the restroom and heard a man tell another that many Black people were in the bar that night, using the N-word. Moore said that when he left, looks were exchanged.

Outside the restroom, the men followed him, with one on each side of him, Moore said. He said one then called him a "stupid (N-word)."

He said he argued with the men when he should have walked away.

"It was a bad choice," the undersheriff said. "I am human."

He said he told Sheriff Mendrick about the charge when he returned to work. The sheriff, he said, was appalled at the use of the racial slur.

"He said that I needed to do better than that, and he was right," Moore said.

Moore said he received a written reprimand from the sheriff, who has endorsed Moore's campaign.

In the police report, Moore was described as having "extreme tunnel vision" during the incident. Moore and his friend showed signs of intoxication, including bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, according to the report.

Moore's opponent, Noonan, noted the charge against Moore in a recent mailer.

"Our sheriff should be stopping crimes, not starting them," the mailer said.

Moore called the mailer a part of a "smear campaign," questioning his opponent's character.

"This doesn't make him qualified for sheriff," Moore said.

In 1995, Moore joined the Sheriff's Office. He became the undersheriff in February 2020.

In 2023, Noonan retired as a sergeant with the Bloomingdale Police Department. He now works as an officer for the Oakbrook Terrace department after a time with Western Springs.