Joliet Police Sgt. Bill Otis Returns To Duty 10 Months After Sexual Assault Allegation From Plainfield Woman

JOLIET, IL — One of Joliet's highest regarded police officers, former Exchange Club Officer of the Year Bill Otis, has been returned to regular active duty this week as a sergeant after spending the past 10 months under investigation and on paid administrative leave.

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English, on Jan. 10, Otis was placed on administrative leave after learning of allegations made against him.

English announced on Wednesday afternoon that "the matter was referred to the Will Grundy Major Crimes Task Force for an independent investigation. The department cooperated fully with the Task Force. Sgt. Otis has been reinstated and has returned to full duty. No additional details will be provided."

According to Will County court files, a 29-year-old woman from Plainfield had obtained an emergency order of protection against Otis, 50, back in January, and she was being represented by attorney Chantal Host, who works at one of downtown Joliet's largest law firms, KGG.

As part of the court order against Otis, the Plainfield woman's lawyer filed a HIPAA Qualified Protective Order. The document indicated the current parties and their attorneys were authorized to receive, subpoena and transmit "Protected Health Information" to be furnished from Edward Hospital concerning toxicology screening and sexual assault screening, results and photographs from the Jan. 9 evaluation of the petitioner.

The qualified protective order, according to the filing from attorney Host, included health information; demographic information relating to the past, present or future physical or mental condition of a person; the provision of care to the person; and the payment for care provided to the person.

Otis was represented in his order of protection case by the Law Offices of Daniel M. Walsh. According to the court filings, Judge Rolonda Mitchell extended the Plainfield woman's no-contact order against Sgt. Otis until a status hearing on Oct. 7. Court files show that the woman filed a motion to dismiss her protection order against Otis last week at the courthouse, and now as of this week, Otis has been returned to his regular supervisory position with Joliet police.

Otis has worked as a patrol sergeant for his current assignment. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in April 2023.

On Wednesday, Walsh called Joliet Patch to say that Otis "is happy to be back to work and serving the citizens of Joliet."

Walsh said that the Plainfield woman who had the order of protection order against Otis filed a motion to voluntarily withdraw it. Walsh said he did not want to comment further on the woman's allegations that she made against Otis.