A separation agreement was reached between Joliet and a police officer who will not challenge his firing after he was found to have committed conduct unbecoming and abuse of position.

The agreement, called an involuntary termination order, was signed on Feb. 23 by former Officer Nicholas Crowley, Joliet City Manager Beth Beatty and an attorney for the city’s police union, according to the record obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request.

In exchange for Crowley not appealing his termination, the city will not require him to repay any tuition reimbursement in the amount of $4,230, according to the agreement.

Crowley and the city’s police union agree he is not entitled to any further reimbursement for his tuition.

The city will also not protest Crowley’s claim for unemployment insurance benefits.

“The union and [Crowley] acknowledge that the promises and benefits guaranteed herein constitute valuable consideration that [Crowley] would not otherwise be entitled to,” according to the agreement.

Crowley was fired on Feb. 20 following an investigation by a law firm.

The Feb. 23 agreement said the city based its investigation of Crowley of information and documentation that was provided by a source that was redacted in a copy of the agreement provided to Shaw Local.

The city found Crowley “engaged in terminable misconduct,” according to the agreement.

Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English confirmed Crowley was found to have violated departmental policies of conduct unbecoming, abuse of position and improper use of social media or networking.

Crowley has been a defendant in three police misconduct lawsuits since 2018.

One lawsuit led to almost $120,000 settlement against the city and the other two led to total of $80,200 settlement against the city as well.

Crowley was also arrested in 2017 on charges of domestic battery and reckless discharge of a firearm. A grand jury chose not to indict him on the domestic battery charge and he was acquitted of the reckless discharge of a firearm charge.

In 2023, Crowley had been recommended for suspension for communicating with a citizen in an unprofessional manner, city records show.

Crowley was accused of engaging in “unprofessional and inappropriate text message communication” with a victim of a crime, according to a report filed with the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.