Cop wants charges upgraded in off-duty beating

WLS-TV:

A Chicago police detective who was beaten while off-duty on Chicago's North Side over a week ago is reacting to the news that the man accused of beating him will not face a more serious charge.

Detective Steven Amato says he announced that he was a police officer during the beating. The beating took place after the man allegedly ran into the detective's personal car.

Detective Amato and others believe the charges should be more serious be
cause the attack was against a police officer. The police officer's alleged attacker, 27-year-old John Jasa,s remains free after attending court last week, where a judge refused to charge him with attacking a police officer. That follows a decision by the state's attorney's office to file what is "perceived" as a lesser felony because, they say, Detective Amato was off duty. The veteran cop counters, saying a Chicago police officer is "always" on duty.

Beaten Chicago Police Detective Steve Amato left court feeling assaulted all over again. Not only was the man accused of attacking him not charged with battering a police officer, but the hearing the 18-year police department veteran was told to attend Monday morning took place last week without him or his testimony.

And we might wonder why police aren't as vigorous in doing their jobs as I'm sure most of us think they should be.

This story is via 2nd City Cop who doesn't believe that they have much support from the State's Attorney office.

Also the Capitol Fax talks about the story about police personnel issues and discusses this story as well as one involving CTA President Huberman attempting to change his police pension. That's in addition the reduced scheduling for garbage pick-up.