Man charged twice with threatening police officers

A Chicago man was arrested and charged twice in a matter of hours last week after officials said he openly threatened suburban police officers.

Investigator John-Erik Anderson of the Lincolnshire Police Department said Adam Pierson, 33, of the 5200 block of North Reserve Avenue in Chicago, used his cell phone on Dec. 11 to call Lincolnshire dispatchers at the 911 emergency call center to tell them that he hated members of the Vernon Hills Police Department.

Anderson said the phone call came after officers from Vernon Hills issued Pierson a warning ticket for allegedly pan handling in front of one of the village's businesses.

Anderson said that after leaving Vernon Hills, Pierson used his cell to call the center and, using "colorful language," explained in detail how much he hated the officers.

"He was basically told to move along by police and decided he needed to vent his frustrations out to our dispatchers," Anderson said. "So, while voicing his displeasure with our dispatchers, they captured his cell phone number and traced the call back to him."

Anderson said Pierson was charged with disorderly conduct, a Class A misdemeanor, after being arrested at his Chicago apartment Friday afternoon. He was brought to Lincolnshire where he was booked and released on bond.

Despite being warned by detectives to not threaten police officers with bodily harm - especially to 911 emergency dispatchers - Pierson drove to a nearby gas station and informed patrons and employees that he intended to kill two police officers from Lincolnshire, Anderson said.

Officers went to the gas station, but Pierson had fled, Anderson said. However, due to the threats, a bulletin was issued to all police departments to be on the lookout for Pierson. He was arrested during a traffic stop later by the Norridge Police Department, Anderson said, and charged with felony disorderly conduct, a Class Four felony.

He was transported back to Lincolnshire where he was booked, then transferred to Lake County jail where he is being held on $20,000 bond, Anderson said.

If found guilty of the charge, he could spend up to three years behind bars.

Pierson was also ordered in bond court to take a psychological test.

A public records search of Pierson also revealed he has a criminal history spanning nine states on a range of charges including traffic citations, burglary and resisting arrest.