Termination hearing held for Joliet police lieutenant accused of misusing license plate reader

A closed-door termination hearing is being held Wednesday for a Joliet police lieutenant who is accused of misusing a license plate reader system.

The Joliet Board of Fire and Police Commissioners voted to go into closed session for the hearing on Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans’ charges against Lt. Jeremy Harrison.

Evans recommended Harrison for termination on Dec. 22 following an investigation by Joliet Inspector General Stephen DiNolfo.

The board will decide on whether to uphold Evans’ recommendation following a hearing that involves Harrison, his attorneys and the city’s attorneys.

It’s not yet known if the board will arrive at a decision on Wednesday.

Evans found Harrison had violated the department’s code of conduct and policies regarding the license plate reader systems, according to city records.

The charges against Harrison alleged he accessed the department’s license plate reader database known as Flock for the “personal purposes to track the location of a female officer,” according to records provided by Harrison’s attorneys with Michael D. Ettinger and Associates in Palos Heights.

Joliet Police Chief William Evans talks with Joliet City Inspector General Stephen DiNolfo at a special hearing by the Joliet Board of Fire and Police Commissions on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at Joliet City Hall. Evans recommended Joliet Police Lt. Jeremy Harrison's termination following DiNolfo's investigation. — Joliet Police Chief William Evans (left) talks with Joliet City Inspector General Stephen DiNolfo at a special hearing by the Joliet Board of Fire and Police Commissions on the Jeremy Harrison case on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at Joliet City Hall. (Gary Middendorf)

The charges also alleged Harrison “entered false information” into the Flock system to conduct searches of the female officer’s license plate.

Oliver Soleiman, one of Harrison’s attorneys, told Shaw Local they are denying Harrison’s conduct was “inappropriate” or “not allowed” in any way.

Soleiman said he believes Harrison’s termination was “wrongful” and chose to appeal to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.

Harrison has been with the Joliet Police Department since 1999, and he had overseen the narcotics unit since January 2019.

Harrison’s personnel file provided by the city showed he received at least 30 awards for his work for the police department.

But Harrison is also a defendant in a federal wrongful death lawsuit filed in 2020 over the controversial in-custody death of Eric Lurry Jr., 37, who died from a fatal drug overdose after his arrest.

The case reached a settlement,federal court records show.

Harrison was also found to have violated departmental policy by firing a gun at a fleeing vehicle driven by a 15-year-old suspect, city records show.