Gurnee police say squad car camera refutes woman's claims

A woman who claimed a Gurnee police officer stopped her without cause and threw her into a squad car now faces a perjury charge, authorities announced Monday.

Police said the woman's claims were contradicted by audio and video recordings made with equipment mounted in the squad car. Deputy Police Chief Kevin Woodside said these types of cases are an example of how officers benefit from in-squad cameras.

"It would certainly be a lot more difficult to get to the truth without the video," Woodside said.

Shirlon Rogers, 43, of the 2300 block of Joppa Avenue, Zion is free on a $50,000 recognizance bond. Lake County sheriff's deputies took Rogers into custody Thursday after a judge issued a warrant for her arrest.

Gurnee police said Rogers was driving on south Route 41 near Washington Street when she was pulled over on a traffic stop at 1:04 a.m. March 6. Reports state she told police she had been at a Gurnee-area bar on Route 41 before hitting the road.

After refusing a breath test, she was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol, improper lane usage, speeding and operating an uninsured vehicle, police said.

Rogers was released from police headquarters on a recognizance bond, then returned later in the day to complain the arresting cop stopped her without cause and threw her into the squad car, causing her to hit her head, authorities said.

Police said Rogers' complaint included a sworn affidavit attesting to the truth of her statement.

But the entire exchange between the officer and Rogers was captured by the squad's mounted camera and microphone. Woodside said the officer activated the camera to record Rogers driving on Route 41 just before the stop, and it remained on after he exited.

Police said a review of the video and audio showed Rogers' sworn statements were false. Gurnee police obtained a warrant for Rogers' arrest on the perjury charge March 22.

Woodside said a high standard for the video and audio must be met for such evidence to result in prosecutors lodging a criminal charge against someone.

"The equipment has to be working really well," he added.

Woodside said the video and audio in the Rogers stop cannot be released to the public yet because it's part of an active case in the Lake County court system.

In 2008, Heriberto Hernandez, then 19, admitted in Lake County circuit court he had filed a bogus sworn complaint about a Gurnee officer threatening him and using foul language during a traffic stop on Route 41.

Audio and video recordings of the December 2007 traffic stop showed Hernandez's claims were false. He pleaded guilty to a reduced misdemeanor perjury charge and received two years probation as part of his sentence.