Veteran Chicago officer charged with bribery

An 18-year Chicago police veteran has been charged with bribery and official misconduct for soliciting $5,000 in exchange for “forgetting” a pending criminal case, authorities said.

Court documents indicate 45-year-old Harold Rodriguez made a recent traffic stop and recognized the driver as a person he arrested in 2011 for a felony traffic violation. Rodriguez told the motorist he “makes a lot of arrests” and could forget the case if paid $5,000, authorities allege.

Cook County prosecutors say the motorist informed police, and investigators listened as the driver contacted Rodriguez to arrange the payment.

Rodriguez was later observed accepting the cash from the motorist at a restaurant, authorities said, and the officer was arrested as he left.

It wasn’t immediately known if Rodriguez, who was ordered held Wednesday on $50,000 bail, has obtained legal representation.