A Lake County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested and charged with official misconduct after authorities said he “failed to act” during a domestic disturbance where a man hit a woman in the face.
An arrest warrant was issued for Lake County Sheriff’s deputy Leonard Patterson, of the 1100 block of Knight Court in Port Barrington, on Thursday for four counts of official misconduct, which is a class 3 felony. Patterson turned himself into the Lake County Jail Friday morning.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Christopher Covelli said that Patterson was on-duty on November 5 when he was dispatched to meet with Waukegan police officers at the scene of a domestic battery, which happened in the Lake County Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction.
Covelli said that a man and woman were driving in a vehicle near Green Bay Road and York House Road in Beach Park when the man hit the woman in the face. The man eventually pulled the car into a parking lot in the 2900 block of Belvidere Road in Waukegan. The woman got out of the vehicle and asked a Good Samaritan to call for help, Covelli said.
“Patterson arrived at the scene and failed to conduct any sort of investigation or make any effort to speak with any of the involved parties. He failed to provide any assistance to the victim, while encouraging her to get back in the car with the offender, and leave the scene,” Covelli said.
Sheriff Curran ordered an internal investigation conducted by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Office of Professional Standards. Patterson was placed on administrative leave and relieved of his police powers, Covelli said.
Detectives concluded Patterson, “recklessly failed to perform duties required by law, including not arresting the abusing party, failed to offer the victim of abuse adequate information, failed to provide the victim any referral to an accessible service agency and failed to make a written police report.”
Authorities said he was hired as a police officer in December 2008. Disciplinary proceedings for Patterson’s employment status are ongoing, officials said.
Patterson’s bond was set at $10,000. He has since been released after posting $1,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court again on April 5.