Ex-Joliet Cop Bill Busse Convicted Of Crimes, Awaits 2nd Trial

JOLIET, IL — Bill Busse, a Joliet police officer whose law enforcement career came to an eventual end after his second off-duty domestic violence arrest in 2019 against his ex-wife, will learn his sentence next month. Last week, a Will County jury found him guilty of four counts of domestic battery. Now 39, Busse was found not guilty of resisting a New Lenox police officer, according to prosecutors.

Will County State's Attorney's Office spokeswoman Carole Cheney notified Joliet Patch that Busse's sentencing will take place April 5.

A current Homer Glen resident, Busse joined the Joliet Police Department in June 2013 and before that, served on the Park Forest Police Department where he was on the SWAT team. I

In February 2020, Joliet Police Chief Al Roechner announced he was firing Busse, after the second domestic violence arrest occurred. However, at no point did Roechner go to the police and fire board to present his case justifying why Busse's firing was justified. In January 2021, Roechner stepped down as chief of police, and Busse remained on Joliet's payroll.

In June 2021, Patch reported that Joliet City Manager Jim Cappareli worked out a settlement with Busse to end his employment with the city of Joliet.

According to Will County prosecutors, the following events led to Busse's criminal convictions, stemming from his arrest at his ex-wife's house on Dec. 29, 2019:

• Busse's ex-wife met the New Lenox police officer at the front door and whispered, "He's here inside the house, and I'm scared." The officer heard a door close inside the house, so she called for additional New Lenox police to assist with the call.
• The officer saw red marks on the left side of Busse's ex-wife's cheek and neck area.
• Busse's ex-wife claimed that, prior to police arrival, Busse was with her in the basement of the house when he became very angry after having sex with her. He tapped her on the cheek, covered her mouth with one hand and put his other hand around her neck, restricting her ability to breathe for about 30 seconds.
• When the ex-wife called out to one of their small children, Busse got off her and that allowed her to get away.
• Busse followed her into one of the children's rooms, and he slapped her across the face. She used an Apple Watch that she hid to call 911 without Busse's knowledge.
• When New Lenox police got the house, Busse locked himself inside a bedroom with the couple's two minor children. He refused to open the door and began spewing profanities at police.
• Busse's ex-wife furnished New Lenox police with a key to the bedroom door, but it didn't work. Instead, officers got into the bedroom through a door attached to the bathroom.
• When officers barged into the bedroom, Busse continued yelling profanities at the officers while in being placed in handcuffs and being led back to their squad car, even lunging at his ex-wife as he was being escorted out of the house.

As for Busse's initial domestic battery arrest in New Lenox, from May 31, 2019, that case is still set for a jury trial at the Will County Courthouse on June 26, also in Courtroom 801. In that case, Busse faces three counts of domestic battery.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Joliet Cop On 'Empire' Gets Fired By Roechner

Officer Bill Busse No Longer With City of Joliet

Joliet Police Officer Bill Busse No Longer In County Jail