Veteran Elgin cop loses police powers over domestic battery case

A veteran Elgin police officer has been placed on restricted duty while a domestic battery case against him goes through the courts.

Darren T. Monforti, 38, has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor domestic battery, stemming from an off-duty case Dec. 23, in which he is accused of dragging his 26-year-old girlfriend out of her car by her left arm, Deputy Police Chief Bob Beeter said. She was in the driver's seat at the time, Beeter said.

It occurred between 7:30 and 7:45 p.m. in a garage in the 3100 block of Valley Falls Street, Beeter said. It followed an argument in which Monforti tried to take a cell phone away from his girlfriend, Beeter said. Police are investigating who owns the phone.

Afterward, Monforti called his off-duty supervisor, said he'd been involved in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, but did not give much detail, Beeter said. His boss then called another supervisor at the police station and an investigation followed, Beeter said.

“Regardless of who the allegations are made against we'll thoroughly investigate it,” Beeter said.

On Monday, authorities stripped Monforti of his police powers, confiscated his gun and badge and assigned him to administrative work that involves data entry, Beeter said.

Monforti, a night patrol officer who has been on the force for nearly 12 years, turned himself in to Kane County authorities Tuesday afternoon, Beeter said. His bail was set at $1,000, but he was allowed to sign out on his signature. He was also ordered to avoid his girlfriend and her family.

Beeter said Monforti has never had any disciplinary issues with the department.

He is due to appear in court Feb. 8 at the Kane County Judicial Center.

If Monforti is found guilty of domestic battery, he would likely lose his right to carry a firearm, which would effectively mark the end of his police career in Illinois.

“That's something we'd have to deal with once the criminal side of this is resolved,” Beeter said.