Officer Mau, Sgt. Julie Larson Aren't Getting Promoted: Capparelli

JOLIET, IL — It's been two months since Patch reported that Joliet Police Sgt. Julie Larson and Officer Bob Mau were on the agenda for a supervisor promotion, but no vote on the matter was ever taken by the city's police and fire board in December, January and so far in February.

On Monday, Joliet City Manager Jim Capparelli told Patch there are no plans to promote Mau, Larson — or anyone else at the Joliet Police Department — to a supervisor's position for the foreseeable future.

In December, Mau was facing a vote for a promotion to sergeant and Larson for a promotion to lieutenant. In the middle of the meeting, the board voted 3-2 to delay making a decision on both of the promotions. At no meeting since then, have Mau or Larson been on the agenda.

During Monday's interview at City Hall, Capparelli said Joliet's Police Department already has too many supervisors and not enough rank and file officers on the streets of Joliet.

Until Joliet hires a lot more rank and file officers, there probably won't be more people promoted to sergeants, or sergeants promoted to lieutenants, Capparelli explained.

On Monday, Joliet Patch had reached out to Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans for comment regarding the status of the promotions for Larson and Mau, and he directed Patch to contact the city manager.

As of this week, Joliet's Police Department has 266 sworn officers, "and we expect to hire 20 more," Evans explained.

The city budget calls for 286 sworn officers, he noted.

Capparelli said that just because there may be an opening or two in the ranks for sergeant and lieutenant does not mean the city should automatically more forward with promoting somebody, especially at a time when Joliet is down at least 20 rank and file police officers.

He said it makes no sense for Joliet to have a ratio of one sergeant supervising only four or five police officers.

Capparelli said that by hiring more rank and file officers, he wants to increase Joliet's truck traffic enforcement and improve neighborhood policing efforts across the city.

He said those issues are of greater priority to him right now than adding more sergeants and lieutenants to the force.

Even though Joliet's population has grown tremendously over the years, now topping 150,000, it has been several years since the Joliet police force topped 300 officers, Capparelli explained.

He wants to see Joliet move closer to the 300 police officer total.

Capparelli indicated there are no plans to put the promotion votes for Mau or Larson back on the police and fire board commission agenda anytime in the near future.

Capparelli also emphasized he intends to revisit the supervisory promotion process at the Joliet Police Department, examining how the promotions are done elsewhere. He said he wants to make sure Joliet's best officers are the ones up for promotions.

In December, Joliet Patch reported that Officer Mau, who pleaded guilty in November 2011 to battery and lost a May 2016 civil lawsuit filed by his victim, resulting in garnished wages of $55,958 from Mau's city paychecks between 2016 and 2019, was up for a promotion to become a Joliet police sergeant.

Back in 2012, Mau agreed to serve a 120-day unpaid work suspension from the Joliet Police Department as part of a "last chance agreement" to remain a city police officer.

In more recent years, Mau has been involved in other disciplinary matters and controversial arrests, Patch learned.

In July 2018, Mau was involved in one of the most controversial Joliet police traffic stops in recent years — an incident shared on YouTube that sparked several Black residents to air their concerns about racial profiling and excessive force to Joliet's City Council.

That year, Mau received a written reprimand from the internal affairs unit for failing to indicate the reason for stopping the driver late at night on Joliet's east side in a predominantly Black neighborhood. After repeatedly refusing to tell the young Black motorist why he had pulled him over, Mau shattered the driver's window with his baton and yanked him out of his car. Minutes later, Mau returned to the car and deployed his Taser on one of the Black passengers.

In the internal affairs report, Joliet's Deputy Police Chief Ed Gregory stated, "that on July 13, 2018, while on a traffic stop in the area of the 100 block of Third Avenue, you neglected to inform the violator of the reason for the traffic stop ... and on the basis of the available evidence has been found to be sustained. The written reprimand reminded Mau he must "Explain the reason for the traffic stop to the violator."

In recent days, Joliet Patch learned Mau received a written reprimand from Joliet Police Chief Al Roechner during Roechner's final days as chief, in January 2021. At that point, more than seven months had passed, and Mau's internal affairs case was still pending.

"An investigation was conducted concerning your actions that on May 31, 2020, you used excessive and unnecessary force while effecting an arrest," Roechner wrote in Mau's internal affairs summary. "You also failed to complete a defensive action report prior to the end of your tour of duty. The complaint has been investigated and on the basis of available evidence has been found to be sustained in part and not sustained in part."

According to Roechner's internal affairs memo, Mau was not punished for excessive and unnecessary force. Rather, he received another written reprimand, this time for not completing the department's use of defensive action report.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

• Joliet Cop Who Beat Ex-Fiancee's Friend Now Up For Sergeant
• Officer Mau Shatters Black Driver's Window, Gets Reprimand
• Sergeant Promotion Delayed For Joliet Officer Bob Mau Jr.
• Resident Questions Joliet Police After Video Of 'Violent' Arrest