Jose Torres

Case #: 18PB2949-2
Police badge #: 3783
Download original case files
- 18PB2949_charges-2.pdf

Recommendation Other
Decision Termination
Length of process over 1 year September 26, 2018 to March 19, 2020 Closed

Investigative Agency Not Specified

Charged with violating 2 rules on 9 counts


Rule 2	8 counts	Any action or conduct which impedes the Department's efforts to achieve its policy and goals or brings discredit upon the Department. Count 1 Guilty On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7400 S. Merrill Avenue, Police Officer Jose Torres drove his police vehicle, Beat 406C, southbound on Merrill Avenue, a one-way northbound street, directly towards a northbound moving vehicle driven by Paul O'Neal and/or stopped his police vehicle, Beat 406C, in the middle of Merrill Avenue in a manner intended to prevent the passage of the moving vehicle driven by Paul O'Neal, thereby escalating or increasing the risk of confrontation with Paul O'Neal. Count 2 Guilty On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7354 S. Merrill Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Police Officer Jose Torres, without justification, used force likely to cause death or great bodily harm without a reasonable belief that such force was necessary when he fired one or more shots at Paul O'Neal. Count 3 Guilty On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7354 S. Merrill Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Police Officer Jose Torres, without justification, used force likely to cause death or great bodily harm without a reasonable belief that such force was necessary when he fired one or more shots at M.W., a minor. Count 4 Guilty On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7354 S. Merrill Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Police Officer Jose Torres, fired one or more shots at and/or into a moving vehicle driven by Paul O'Neal when the vehicle was the only force used against Officer Torres or another person. Count 5 Guilty On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7354 S. Merrill Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Police Officer Jose Torres, fired one or more shots at or near Police Officer Mohammad Baker, Star Number 19740. Count 6 Guilty On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7354 S. Merrill Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Police Officer Jose Torres, fired one or more shots at or near Police Officer Jose Diaz, Star Number 15610. Count 7 Guilty On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7400 S. Merrill Avenue, Police Officer Jose Torres failed to adhere to basic traffic-safety practices when he drove a police vehicle, Beat 406C, southbound on Merrill Avenue, a one-way northbound street, directly towards a northbound moving vehicle driven by Paul O'Neal and/or by stopped his police vehicle, Beat 406C, in the middle of Merrill Avenue in a manner intended to prevent the passage of the moving vehicle driven by Paul O'Neal. Count 8 Guilty On or about July 28, 2016, at approxim ately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7400 South Merrill Avenue, Chicago, Police Officer Jose Torres failed to adhere to basic traffic - safety practices when he drove a police vehicle, Beat 406C, southbound on Merrill Avenue, a one - way northbound street, directly tow ards a northbound moving vehicle driven by Paul O’Neal, and/or stopped his police vehicle, Beat 406C, in the middle of Merrill Avenue in a manner intended to the prevent passage of the moving vehicle driven by Paul O’Neal.
Rule 6	1 count	Disobedience of an order or directive, whether written or oral. Count 1 Guilty On or about July 28, 2016, at approxim ately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7400 South Merrill Avenue, Chicago, Police Officer Jose Torres failed to adhere to basic traffic - safety practices when he drove a police vehicle, Beat 406C, southbound on Merrill Avenue, a one - way northbound street, directly tow ards a northbound moving vehicle driven by Paul O’Neal, and/or stopped his police vehicle, Beat 406C, in the middle of Merrill Avenue in a manner intended to the prevent passage of the moving vehicle driven by Paul O’Neal.

Rule 2

Any action or conduct which impedes the Department's efforts to achieve its policy and goals or brings discredit upon the Department.

Count 1 Guilty: On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7400 S. Merrill Avenue, Police Officer Jose Torres drove his police vehicle, Beat 406C, southbound on Merrill Avenue, a one-way northbound street, directly towards a northbound moving vehicle driven by Paul O'Neal and/or stopped his police vehicle, Beat 406C, in the middle of Merrill Avenue in a manner intended to prevent the passage of the moving vehicle driven by Paul O'Neal, thereby escalating or increasing the risk of confrontation with Paul O'Neal.
Count 2 Guilty: On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7354 S. Merrill Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Police Officer Jose Torres, without justification, used force likely to cause death or great bodily harm without a reasonable belief that such force was necessary when he fired one or more shots at Paul O'Neal.
Count 3 Guilty: On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7354 S. Merrill Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Police Officer Jose Torres, without justification, used force likely to cause death or great bodily harm without a reasonable belief that such force was necessary when he fired one or more shots at M.W., a minor.
Count 4 Guilty: On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7354 S. Merrill Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Police Officer Jose Torres, fired one or more shots at and/or into a moving vehicle driven by Paul O'Neal when the vehicle was the only force used against Officer Torres or another person.
Count 5 Guilty: On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7354 S. Merrill Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Police Officer Jose Torres, fired one or more shots at or near Police Officer Mohammad Baker, Star Number 19740.
Count 6 Guilty: On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7354 S. Merrill Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Police Officer Jose Torres, fired one or more shots at or near Police Officer Jose Diaz, Star Number 15610.
Count 7 Guilty: On or about July 28, 2016, at approximately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7400 S. Merrill Avenue, Police Officer Jose Torres failed to adhere to basic traffic-safety practices when he drove a police vehicle, Beat 406C, southbound on Merrill Avenue, a one-way northbound street, directly towards a northbound moving vehicle driven by Paul O'Neal and/or by stopped his police vehicle, Beat 406C, in the middle of Merrill Avenue in a manner intended to prevent the passage of the moving vehicle driven by Paul O'Neal.
Count 8 Guilty: On or about July 28, 2016, at approxim
ately 7:36 p.m., at or near 7400 South Merrill Avenue,
Chicago, Police Officer Jose Torres failed to adhere to basic traffic
-
safety practices when he
drove a police vehicle, Beat 406C, southbound on Merrill Avenue, a one
-
way northbound
street, directly tow
ards a northbound moving vehicle driven by Paul O’Neal, and/or stopped
his police vehicle, Beat 406C, in the middle of Merrill Avenue in a manner intended to the
prevent passage of the moving vehicle driven by Paul O’Neal.

Rule 6

1 count

Disobedience of an order or directive, whether written or oral.

Board Member Votes & Decisions

Majority Decision

8 agreed

Agreed with the final decision of the board

0 disagreed

Disagreed with the final decision of the board

0 did not vote

Did not vote or were not present for voting

The Board finds Respondent Jose Torres
guilty of violating Rule 2, Rule 6, and Rule
10, as set forth in paragraph nos. 12–19 above. As a result of the foregoing, the Board, by a vote of 8 in favor (Foreman, Wolff, Crowl, Eaddy, Flores, O’Malley, Sweeney, and Zopp) to 0 opposed, hereby determines that cause exists for discharging Respondent Jose Torres from his position as a police officer with the Department of Police and from the services of the City of Chicago. Respondent Police Officer Jose Torres, Star No. 3783, as a result of having been found guilty of all charges in Police Board Case No. 18 PB 2949, be and hereby is
discharged from his position as a police officer with the Department of Police and from the services of the City of Chicago. This disciplinary action is adopted and entered by a majority of the members of the Police Board: Ghian Foreman, Paula Wolff, Matthew C. Crowl, Michael Eaddy, Steve Flores, John P.
O’Malley Jr., Rhoda D. Sweeney, and Andrea L. Zopp.