Illinois cop accused of making sneaky salon videos quits

EDWARDSVILLE — A southwestern Illinois police officer accused of illegally making cell phone videos of women at a tanning salon has resigned.

Edwardsville City Administrator Ben Dickmann says Michael Collins quit the city police force, effective immediately. He’d served 15 years with the department and was the senior patrol officer.

The resignation comes just days after Madison County prosecutors charged 46-year-old Collins with three counts of unauthorized video recording. Each felony alleges he secretly recorded a different woman over a four-day period this month.

Authorities say the case surfaced when Glen Carbon police were called to Image Sun Tanning Center after a female customer accused Collins of taking pictures over the wall from an adjacent room as she prepared to tan.

Collins has not returned telephone messages seeking comment.