A gay police sergeant from Chicago has resigned in disgrace after finding himself at the center of a criminal investigation.
45-year-old Eric Elkins, who has been with the department nearly 20 years, officially stepped down from his post last week, a spokesman for the Chicago Police Department says.
Elkins made headlines last September when he and a gang of three other men allegedly beat Thomas Stacha and his boyfriend John Sherwood outside of the popular Chicago gay bar @mosphere.
According to The Chicago Tribune, a fight between the men started inside the club and continued outside. The beating left Stacha with broken cheekbones and a perforated trachea and Sherwood with a compound leg fracture.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Elkins was placed on paid leave after the incident. That is, until now. A spokesperson for the department says that since he has “resigned under investigation,” he will be ineligible for retired police credentials.
But last September’s attack is hardly the first time Elkins has run into trouble at work. Over the course of his career, he has had 35 complaints made against him–including accusations of tasering, conducting illegal searches, verbal abuse, and criminal misconduct–plus 11 use of unnecessary force complains.
And it doesn’t stop there.
In 2015, Elkins was placed on paid desk duty due to sexual assault charges filed against him in Michigan in 2015.
The charges stated that Elkins got drunk at a 4th of July family reunion and tried to fondle four teenage boys, resulting in one of the boys pulling a knife on him.
In August 2016, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery count in exchange for probation and a $1200 fine.
In 2003, Elkins was also charged with sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy from Chicago’s Admundsen High School, where Elkins worked as a part-time security guard; however, he was acquitted due to a lack of physical evidence.
Sounds to us like this Elkins dude was one rotten apple.
Related: This gay Chicago cop and his boyfriend are accused of viciously beating another gay couple
Don't forget to share:
Brian
Anyone can be a cop. He’s a known pedophile, and he openly admits to being a violent person. Yet they continue to get more respect than most other professions, which is totally backward.
Doug
I don’t get it… he had all these numerous past charges, and they still kept him on as a cop? That has to be a crime in itself.
Greg
Closet case.
startenout
He’s gay with a boyfriend, so you’re gonna have to find another reason for him to be a violent pedo ass.
Bob LaBlah
I have said before and I say again the only difference between the criminal being arrested and the officer arresting him is the officer was able to pass the background check and got the job. Now he is arresting the very thing that he himself is, a criminal. It doesn’t apply to all but in these days I bet the nbr is right at half. What really makes me sick are the police officers in NYC who arrest black males for possession of half a joint. As if they had room to talk regarding smoking a joint. (And by the way I heard the laws in NYC have been changed).
dsharpark
Wow…so after multiple sexual offensives…several dozen complaints and nearly a dozen REPORTED instances of unnecessary force (I.e. assault on individuals ACCUSED of crimes)…after all that, society finally gets to see him…resign? Not fired…not arrested… He quit his job…that’s it.
Good thing there’s a happy ending!
Under rug swept.
Wicked Dickie
I’m surprised the Thin Blue Line covered up for a gay male cop. Oh, that’s white, I forgot.
Donston
If he were actually out of the closet and dating adult men I doubt they would have protected him so long. These are the benefits of being white, of being a police officer, of being in the closet and of having most of your victims be underage.
startenout
He was out of the closet and had a boyfriend. Plus closet or not, most if the previous charges (not the complaints) were fir sexually harassing or assaulting teenage boys, so you’d think they’d have known he wasn’t str8 either way
Donston
Well, for a lot of people it doesn’t matter what your behaviors are. As long as you don’t say you’re “gay” or openly date the same gender you’re still “one of them”.
I didn’t realize he was a sergeant. I thought he was just random officer. His status in his force definitely gave him greater leeway.
Franklin
It always amazes me how people in this country continue to believe that there is no such thing as the blue wall of silence. Police in the country are deified to the point where people overlook corruption and bad behavior.
TomG
They really need to have psychological exams for police EVERY YEAR to insure they have not gone over the edge with the power of the badge.
startenout
This is an idea we should all get behind.
Bob LaBlah
While on the subject of psychological exams needed for police officers if you have a minute do a google search on the St. Louis police officer who was not only on duty, had a few drinks and in the home of another police officer (while he was suppose to be patrolling the streets on his night shift) and killed another officer playing Russian roulette. Oh, by the way, when that happened ANOTHER police officer who too was suppose to be out patrolling the streets was present in the house as were DRUGS. And take good note of WHY the police chief didn’t release the drug and alcohol report until the prosecuting attorney went public with it and admitted that she would not be able to use the results of the test. All three officers are white but the police chief and the prosecuting attorney are black and the third officer in that house is back on the job. How’s that for faith in the mentality of the local police?
Donston
For a lot of people joining something like the police force is more about potential power and megalomaniac instincts than it is about protecting people.
Geeker
Why does it seem like only violent and psychologically unbalanced assholes want to be cops?
Wicked Dickie
Because it gives them power over the public.
IAMBROWN
Wow. Just wow. How did this guy get through the system? Smh.
nitejonboy
Disgusting pedophile pig….lock him up!!