By C1 Staff
JOLIET, Ill. — A correctional officer with the Illinois Department of Corrections filed a complaint against Bolingbrook police officers, alleging that he’s been the victim of false arrests for years because of his race.
Henry Godfrey filed the complaint against Bolingbrook, four officers and one detective, according to Courthouse News.
Godfrey said he’s been acquitted of two separate criminal cases since September 2013, and a third case was dismissed earlier this year.
He also claimed the officers contacted his superiors at the Stateville Correctional Center in an attempt to get him fired, even as recently as March 2015.
Though 20.5 percent of Bolingbrook’s residents are black, the police force is predominantly white, according to Godfrey.
Godfrey said he wrote a letter to the mayor on March 6 detailing the unlawful arrests and demanding action, but nothing was done about his citizen’s complaint. He said that instead the officers continued to send his superiors “false reports” in an attempt to get him fired.
Officer Bradley Kurtzwell arrested Godfrey on March 23, 2013, for DUI and again on August 20, 2014, for impersonating a police officer.
Officers Kristofer Schrubbe and Michael Kraus also participated in the August false arrest.
Officer Andrew Sraga and Detective Nicholas Azzo are accused of filing a false report alleging that Godfrey called in a fake police report on July 28, 2013.
Godfrey is seeking damages and injunctive relief for false arrest, malicious prosecution and violations of his federal civil rights.