Two Prospect Heights police officers fired after complaint of noncriminal off-duty conduct

A complaint of noncriminal, off-duty conduct on the part of two Prospect Heights police officers resulted in their firings late last week.

The fired officers are Sgt. Michael Smith and Officer Sofia Tirovolas. The police department hired Smith in 2012 and Tirovolas in 2022, according to information previously posted by the city.

Prospect Heights officials said they were unable to provide further details about the complaint at this stage of the grievance process.

City Administrator Peter Falcone explained the mid-October complaint required a hearing before the three-member fire & police commission within 10 days.

Because two of the commissioners were out of town, the board was unable to meet in time and the city’s action defaulted to the police chief’s recommendation to terminate the officers’ employment.

Nevertheless, the disciplinary action continues through a union grievance process and is expected to be taken up at the commission’s next scheduled meeting Nov. 19, Falcone said.

Though the officers were put on unpaid administrative leave while awaiting an initial hearing by the commission, they remained eligible for benefits until they were fired.