Chicago Police Custodian Found Guilty of Misconduct

Photo: Pamela Brown, 59, a civilian employee of the Chicago Police Department, was convicted of two felony counts of official misconduct. | Cook County Sheriff

A Cook County jury convicted a property custodian who worked for the Chicago Police Department late Thursday afternoon of two Class 3 felony counts of official misconduct, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez announced.

Pamela Brown, 59, was a civilian employee in charge of sorting through prisoners’ forfeited personal property and turning in any money or valuables that she found to her supervisor at the end of her work day.

In February 2012, Brown, a 19-year employee, became the subject of a departmental internal investigation when her supervisors noticed a reduction in her inventory records, the state’s attorney’s office said in a new release.

Chicago Police Internal Affairs set up video surveillance to record Brown performing her duties. During the course of the investigation, prosecutors said that Brown was captured on video stealing numerous items from the city-owned property inventories, including jewelry, foreign currency and a camcorder.

Prosecutors said that after reviewing the footage, Internal Affairs placed 26 bills totaling $200 in the forfeited prisoners’ property that Brown would have been required to turn into her supervisor.

When Brown failed to turn in any of the items and was taken into custody, investigators found all 26 bills and other stolen property in in her possession as she attempted to leave work that day, the state’s attorney’s office said.

After the guilty verdict was read, Cook County Judge Clayton Crane revoked Brown’s bond and ordered her held in custody until she is sentenced on August 19, 2015.