Chicago police officer who racked up most complaints now faces firing — in two cases

First publishedAug 21, 04:22 UTC

Last updatedAug 21, 06:14 UTC · 8m ago

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<p>After racking up more complaints than any other Chicago police officer in recent years, Joseph Vecchio now faces firing in two of the disciplinary cases tied to his work on a notorious downtown tactical team.</p><p>Vecchio was among three members of the Near North District’s 1863 tactical team who had cases before the Chicago Police Board on Thursday, when members ruled on disciplinary disputes between the police department and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.</p><p>The two cases seeking Vecchio’s dismissal relate to broader allegations that the unit had a pattern of conducting improper traffic stops. Vecchio was suspended for<b> </b>15 days in a third case, and the other tactical officers were also given significant suspensions.</p><p>Vecchio was <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2026/01/16/chicago-police-cpd-joseph-vecchio-misconduct-discipline-complaints-lawsuit-snelling-traffic-stop" target="_blank" >stripped of his policing powers</a> late last year after COPA chief LaKenya White alerted former Supt. Larry Snelling to a “concerning number of complaints.”</p><p>“When COPA’s Policy, Research, and Development Unit conducted an analysis of complaint data since 2019, it revealed that Officer Vecchio has the highest number of log number investigations in the entire Department,” White wrote to Snelling on Oct. 6, 2025.</p><p>“Although many of these cases are still under investigation, the increasing number of complaints against Officer Vecchio suggests the need for immediate intervention by CPD.”</p><p>An attorney for Vecchio couldn't immediately be reached.</p><p>The cases announced by the police board on Thursday show the 1863 tactical team’s pattern of misconduct.

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  Chicago police officer who racked up most complaints now faces firing — in two cases

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