Why Geneva officer was fired

The Geneva Police and Fire Commission Monday fired an officer who was involved in the controversial 2007 DUI arrest of a Kane County corrections officer.

Patrol officer Susan Deuchler was nearing the end of her 18-month probationary period with Geneva.

"I can assure you to the fullest extent it was in no way, shape or form connected with the Todd Exline case," said Police Chief Bill Kidwell. "She performed exactly as she should have (during the arrest), and we have supported her 100 percent. It is not fair to her to suggest otherwise."

Deuchler, 29, failed a probation assessment, which is an oral exam given by her field training officer, three sergeants who are field training officer coordinators and the commander of the patrol division, Kidwell said.

Passing the exam is one of three requirements to be a Geneva police officer. The other two are certification by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, and successful completion of a 14-week orientation and training program with the department.

On June 29, 2007, Deuchler was the responding Geneva police officer to a call of a drunk driver around 11:30 p.m. A private citizen had called police while driving on Kirk Road to report a suspected drunk driver; a Batavia officer pulled Lt. Todd Exline over on Route 25 near Mill Race Inn in Geneva. Geneva then handled the investigation.

However, Exline, former director of the county jail, was not charged until July 2.

Geneva police did not ask Exline to take a Breathalyzer blood-alcohol test. Because he was not asked, his driver's license could not be suspended while awaiting trial, which is what happens when people refuse to take the test.

At the time, Geneva patrol Cmdr. Joe Frega said the test wasn't given because a debate ensued about which police department had jurisdiction, and whether probable cause for the stop existed since no officer saw a traffic violation.

During an October court hearing, Exline's attorney also contended that he was asked to do a field sobriety test on an incline, when it should have been done on a flat surface. Exline was also asked to walk along a crack in the road, rather than a painted stripe, his attorney said. The judge upheld the arrest and the tests.

Frega said he was told by Deuchler the test was done on a flat surface.