Armed off-duty officer upset over his removal from Hanover Park meeting

Brad Sandefur freely entered last week's Hanover Park village board meeting, intending to discuss what he saw as dangerous ice buildup in his neighborhood.

He involuntarily exited shortly after, escorted by a swarm of police officers who spotted his gun holster as he spoke at the podium.

The incident caused hearts to race as those in attendance watched the officers stealthily descend upon the armed man. But the surprise encounter has also left Sandefur - a 20-year veteran of the Cook County Sheriff's Office - irate and embarrassed.

"I was humiliated and degraded and made to look bad in front of my neighbors," Sandefur, a deputy sheriff sergeant who works in a maximum-security division of the Cook County Jail, said. "I think my reputation was damaged."

Off-duty correctional officers "are by no means required to, but can legally carry a weapon outside the jail," department spokesman Steve Patterson said.

Officers noticed what could have been a holster around Sandefur's waist, Hanover Park Deputy Police Chief Tom Cortese said. As a plainclothes Sandefur, who's also a military veteran, spoke more animatedly about ice issues, his red U.S. Marines jacket lifted and police could positively identify a pancake holster.

They quietly approached Sandefur from behind, first grabbing and moving aside his neighbor, who was also at the podium to discuss the ice issue. Two more officers then secured his arms and led him out of the room as he repeatedly stated he was a law enforcement officer.

Village Manager Ron Moser, the former police chief, addressed the room a few minutes later and said Sandefur was in fact a correctional officer, possessed a firearm and badge, and had been removed from the building. Mayor Rod Craig thanked police for being observant and the meeting continued.

Sandefur said he can't move on quite as easily. He said he was accosted and treated like a criminal. He also thinks he should have been allowed to return to the meeting after police found his ID and badge.

"They were absolutely too aggressive with me," Sandefur said, adding that he's spoken to an attorney. "There are a lot of nutcases out there, but they should have said, 'You're all good. Go back in and continue.'"

Moser said he made the call to bar Sandefur because the incident was disruptive and his issue could be heard by the board two weeks later. Moser said the officers handled the situation very well.

Cortese said Sandefur complied when asked to leave the property. They also requested he inform police should he ever return armed to a village board meeting.

Sandefur said he considers it his duty to protect the public at all times, even carrying his gun when he works the concession stand for a local swimming team.

"So every time I walk into Walmart or the library, I'm supposed to announce myself?" Sandefur asked. "If my weapon is concealed, it's not an issue."