ICE agents arrested a police officer Thursday morning in the Chicago suburb of Hanover Park, accusing him of being an unlawful immigrant from Montenegro.

The Department of Homeland Security says the officer, Radule Bojovic, overstayed a tourist visa that expired in 2015.

The Hanover Park Police Department shared a Facebook post in August announcing Bojovic’s recent graduation from the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy, adding that he had started “an intensive 15 weeks of field training and evaluation as he continues preparing to serve the Hanover Park community.”

  • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    681·
    2 days ago

    I have a hard time believing this. Like I can’t get a job for the current company I am working for without submitting another background check, because my contract ends this weekend. So they had me file another one hoping it will come through by Monday. (I’m sure it won’t).

    There is no way those officers didn’t also have background checks when they applied. You can’t apply to any government job, federal or state in any state I have lived in.

    • jaaake@lemmy.world
      14·
      2 days ago

      The article says he was “encountered during a targeted enforcement action.” That sounds like they grabbed him while doing something else and everything they’re saying after is an attempt to justify accidentally arresting what they later found out to be a cop who legally immigrated to the US.

    • Fmstrat@lemmy.world
      14·
      2 days ago

      Craig said that before Bojovic was hired, the village confirmed that he was legally authorized work in the United States.

      “Background checks performed by the FBI and Illinois State Police revealed no criminal history,” he added. “If Officer Bojovic did not hold federal work authorization, he would not have been hired.”

      He may have overstayed his visa at one point, but was currently legally here. Who knows since there is zero documentation requirements now.

      • WindyRebel@lemmy.world
        4·
        2 days ago

        I worked in a field that dealt with child care and I know there are a couple of different checks you can get that are more quick checks and then others that are thorough checks. Cost of each is different. Also, background checks are only good right at that moment so if something happens after then of course it won’t be on a background check until it gets reported and you do another check.

        I’m not saying that’s what happened here. I am only trying to point out some specifics about background checks themselves.

    • halcyoncmdr@lemmy.worldEnglish
      18·
      2 days ago

      It’s been known that the federal E-Verify program is an effectively useless system that “verifies” people that aren’t actually allowed to work. That’s the minimum required by law in most places.

      Given the fact that officers get fired for insane shit and then just move elsewhere and do the same job again… I’m 100% willing to believe that’s the extent of what many police departments do, not full background checks.

      • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
        6·
        2 days ago

        “So you lost your last job for brutally beating a suspect who turned out to be the wrong guy? Well, you’re going to fit in nicely around here! Welcome aboard!”

    • Maeve@kbin.earth
      11·
      2 days ago

      These are the same people who view terrible disciplinary records when fired from a different agency a few municipalities over and hire them anyway.