Elgin police officer should be fired over social media comments about immigration enforcement, panel recommends

Elgin’s Civilian Review Board has recommended that an Elgin police officer be fired for comments he made about immigration enforcement on social media.

Officer Jason Lentz was placed on leave in October following comments he made on Facebook that suggested places where immigration agents could find undocumented immigrants, tagging the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the end of the post.

His since-deleted profile picture was an “I stand with ICE” logo.

TJ Aagesen, a member of the Civilian Review Board, said the panel unanimously agreed to recommend the firing during its Tuesday night meeting.

“It seemed like there was a lot of malice and intentionality in his actions, and it seemed like he had a bit of a vendetta against a large segment of our community,” Aagesen said. “That just is not something we can have in an officer.”

Aagesen, who spent 10 years on the police and fire commission, said the police department has worked hard over the year to gain the trust of the community.

“To have one person erode away at that, it goes against the scope of the organization,” he said.

It’s the first issue the board has taken on since being formed in late 2024.

The ultimate decision on Lentz’s fate will be made by Police Chief Ana Lalley.

“As it stands, Officer Jason Lentz is still on paid administrative leave,” Lalley said Thursday. “The actions of the Civilian Review Board are part of the process and it’s still in motion as it relates to that matter.”

It’s the second time Lentz has been involved in a disciplinary action with the department over social media comments.

In 2014, the department fired Lentz over posts he made on Facebook, including some related to the shooting of Michael Brown by police in Ferguson, Missouri.

Lentz, backed by his police union, appealed the firing, and an arbitrator ruled the city should have only suspended him for six months.

In 2017, Lentz was honored by the city for saving the life of a man who was choking on turkey at a Thanksgiving Day dinner. He was named “Officer of the Quarter” by the department in June 2024.