Hoffman Estates cop placed on leave

A Hoffman Estates police officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of an investigation by state police.

The investigation surrounds the officer’s actions while a member of the Kane-Cook Auto Theft Task Force. What those actions are remains a mystery, as officials declined to comment on the details of the investigation.

KCAT is a small group of officers from different departments. The team is based out of Elgin and investigates auto-theft rings under the jurisdiction of the Illinois State Police.

The officer in question is 46-year-old Dave Eggers, who joined Hoffman Estates police in 1994. Hoffman Estates Police Union President Flo Williams confirmed Eggers was placed on leave. She said she heard the news about two weeks ago.

Hoffman Estates Mayor William McLeod declined to comment.

Eggers, who lives in Cary, couldn’t be reached for comment. He’s served KCAT since 2006. Hoffman Estates police in 2007 sent Eggers for training to better identify cloned cars. That’s stealing the identification of a legally-owned auto, and transferring that information to a stolen one to make it harder for authorities to detect that a vehicle was stolen. Eggers is considered an expert on the subject.

The auto theft rings that KCAT investigates can be sophisticated operations that cross international borders. Sometimes cars seized by police are sold back to the general public below invoice price.

In response to questions from the Daily Herald, the Hoffman Estates police department delivered a statement which did not name Eggers, but read that an officer assigned to KCAT had been placed on leave while state police investigate.

“We are not able to provide additional details about the nature of the ongoing investigation,” the statement read.

Hoffman Estates Police Chief Michael Hish said his department will cooperate with the investigation, but otherwise declined to comment.

State police also wouldn’t comment on the extent of the probe.

“We are working jointly with authorities, and can’t really comment on the active investigation,” state police spokeswoman Monique Bond said.

No disciplinary hearings have been scheduled, and Williams said Eggers had not contacted the union for support. She said she’s curious to see what happens next.

“It’s been very hush,” she said.