Two Lakemoor officers resign after wrongly claiming DUI reward

Two Lakemoor police officers have resigned after trying to claim a $100 reward they were not eligible to receive, officials confirmed.

Walter Szarowicz and Henry Campos resigned shortly after they filed paperwork for a DrunkBuster reward from the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists, Police Chief David Godlewski said Thursday.

Campos had just finished his patrol shift in late April when he spotted a drunken driver cruising through Lakemoor, Godlewski said. Campos contacted his shift partner, Szarowicz, who made the arrest, Godlewski said.

After the arrest was completed, Szarowicz filled out reward paperwork and turned it into AAIM, Godlewski said. However, rather than using his own name, Szarowicz put the DrunkBuster tip in his wife's name because police officers are not eligible to claim the $100 reward, Godlewski said.

Godlewski said he came across the reward paperwork shortly after it was issued and immediately placed both officers on administrative leave. The two officers resigned their positions shortly after - one in early May after being placed on leave, the second after the investigation was completed at the end of May, Godlewski said.

"The village will not tolerate that type of behavior, and that's why we reacted swiftly, up to and including contacting AAIM to let them know about the incident," he said.

The decision whether to press charges remains with AAIM, Godlewski said. The reward money was refunded to the charity group, he added.