Rebecca Thuestad

Case #: 21PB2983
Police badge #: 12804
Download original case files
- 21PB2983_Charges.pdf

Recommendation Termination
Decision Termination
Length of process over 1 year January 04, 2021 to May 26, 2022 Closed

Investigative Agency

Charged with violating 6 rules on 17 counts


Rule 2	5 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 December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad, after having detained and/or arrested Quinton Pipkins, knowingly filled out and/or submitted an Original Case Incident Report (HY529812) containing one or more false statements, including but not limited to that “while on a traffic stop” Quinton Pipkins told Officer Thuestad and her partner, Officer Juan Belmontes, that “he observed an unknown male black place” what appeared to Pipkins to be a handgun near the Pink Line tracks, or wrote statements to that effect. Count 2 Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad failed to arrest and/or issue a traffic citation to Quinton Pipkins after observing him driving and/or learning that he had been driving on a suspended Illinois driver’s license in the vicinity of 4410 West Cermak Road, Chicago, in violation of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Count 3 Not Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad stated and/or threatened that she would arrest Quinton Pipkins and/or impound his vehicle if he did not provide a handgun she could recover, or made statements to that effect. As a result, Quinton Pipkins called Larry Rogers and arranged for him to leave a handgun in the vicinity of the alley at or near 4255 West Cullerton Street, Chicago, for Officer Thuestad. Count 4 Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad detained and/or arrested Quinton Pipkins for driving on a suspended Illinois driver’s license and transported him to the police station where he was held inside of the Prisoner Processing Area and later released without charging. Officer Thuestad failed to document Quinton Pipkins’s detention and/or arrest on any official Chicago Police Department report, and/or failed to notify her supervisor, a superior, and/or Watch Commander prior to releasing him without charges. Count 5 Guilty On or about July 19, 2017, and/or November 28, 2018, Police Officer Thuestad provided a false and/or misleading statement to the Bureau of Internal Affairs (“BIA”) when she denied being aware that Quinton Pipkins made a telephone call on December 8, 2015, to arrange for a handgun to be left in the alley at or around 4255 West Cullerton Street, and/or denied that Pipkins spoke to anyone on the phone about a gun in her presence, or made statements to that effect.
Rule 3	5 counts	Any failure to promote the Department's efforts to implement its policy or accomplish its goals. Count 1 Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad, after having detained and/or arrested Quinton Pipkins, knowingly filled out and/or submitted an Original Case Incident Report (HY529812) containing one or more false statements, including but not limited to that “while on a traffic stop” Quinton Pipkins told Officer Thuestad and her partner, Officer Juan Belmontes, that “he observed an unknown male black place” what appeared to Pipkins to be a handgun near the Pink Line tracks, or wrote statements to that effect. Count 2 Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad failed to arrest and/or issue a traffic citation to Quinton Pipkins after observing him driving and/or learning that he had been driving on a suspended Illinois driver’s license in the vicinity of 4410 West Cermak Road, Chicago, in violation of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Count 3 Not Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad stated and/or threatened that she would arrest Quinton Pipkins and/or impound his vehicle if he did not provide a handgun she could recover, or made statements to that effect. As a result, Quinton Pipkins called Larry Rogers and arranged for him to leave a handgun in the vicinity of the alley at or near 4255 West Cullerton Street, Chicago, for Officer Thuestad. Count 4 Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad detained and/or arrested Quinton Pipkins for driving on a suspended Illinois driver’s license and transported him to the police station where he was held inside of the Prisoner Processing Area and later released without charging. Officer Thuestad failed to document Quinton Pipkins’s detention and/or arrest on any official Chicago Police Department report, and/or failed to notify her supervisor, a superior, and/or Watch Commander prior to releasing him without charges. Count 5 Guilty On or about July 19, 2017, and/or November 28, 2018, Police Officer Thuestad provided a false and/or misleading statement to the Bureau of Internal Affairs (“BIA”) when she denied being aware that Quinton Pipkins made a telephone call on December 8, 2015, to arrange for a handgun to be left in the alley at or around 4255 West Cullerton Street, and/or denied that Pipkins spoke to anyone on the phone about a gun in her presence, or made statements to that effect.
Rule 6	3 counts	Disobedience of an order or directive, whether written or oral. Count 1 Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad, after having detained and/or arrested Quinton Pipkins, knowingly filled out and/or submitted an Original Case Incident Report (HY529812) containing one or more false statements, including but not limited to that “while on a traffic stop” Quinton Pipkins told Officer Thuestad and her partner, Officer Juan Belmontes, that “he observed an unknown male black place” what appeared to Pipkins to be a handgun near the Pink Line tracks, or wrote statements to that effect. Count 2 Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad failed to arrest and/or issue a traffic citation to Quinton Pipkins after observing him driving and/or learning that he had been driving on a suspended Illinois driver’s license in the vicinity of 4410 West Cermak Road, Chicago, in violation of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Count 3 Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad detained and/or arrested Quinton Pipkins for driving on a suspended Illinois driver’s license and transported him to the police station where he was held inside of the Prisoner Processing Area and later released without charging. Officer Thuestad failed to document Quinton Pipkins’s detention and/or arrest on any official Chicago Police Department report, and/or failed to notify her supervisor, a superior, and/or Watch Commander prior to releasing him without charges.
Rule 14	2 counts	Making a false report, written or oral. Count 1 Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad, after having detained and/or arrested Quinton Pipkins, knowingly filled out and/or submitted an Original Case Incident Report (HY529812) containing one or more false statements, including but not limited to that “while on a traffic stop” Quinton Pipkins told Officer Thuestad and her partner, Officer Juan Belmontes, that “he observed an unknown male black place” what appeared to Pipkins to be a handgun near the Pink Line tracks, or wrote statements to that effect. Count 2 Guilty On or about July 19, 2017, and/or November 28, 2018, Police Officer Thuestad provided a false and/or misleading statement to the Bureau of Internal Affairs (“BIA”) when she denied being aware that Quinton Pipkins made a telephone call on December 8, 2015, to arrange for a handgun to be left in the alley at or around 4255 West Cullerton Street, and/or denied that Pipkins spoke to anyone on the phone about a gun in her presence, or made statements to that effect.
Rule 10	2 counts	Inattention to duty. Count 1 Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad failed to arrest and/or issue a traffic citation to Quinton Pipkins after observing him driving and/or learning that he had been driving on a suspended Illinois driver’s license in the vicinity of 4410 West Cermak Road, Chicago, in violation of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Count 2 Guilty On or about December 8, 2015, Police Officer Thuestad detained and/or arrested Quinton Pipkins for driving on a suspended Illinois driver’s license and transported him to the police station where he was held inside of the Prisoner Processing Area and later released without charging. Officer Thuestad failed to document Quinton Pipkins’s detention and/or arrest on any official Chicago Police Department report, and/or failed to notify her supervisor, a superior, and/or Watch Commander prior to releasing him without charges.
Rule 1	0 counts	Violation of any law or ordinance.

Board Member Votes & Decisions

Majority Decision

2 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

Respondent’s efforts to explain that her statement was not false were not credible. The Board finds Respondent guilty of the charges in Specification 1.

Respondent’s testimony that she released Mr. Pipkins out of concern for his family and/or his financial well-being was not credible. We believe Respondent released Mr. Pipkins without charging him or giving him a citation because he successfully made arrangements for Respondent to retrieve a gun.

Respondent’s testimony is not credible. Her statements to BIA were materially false and she knew they were false. They were made to further cover-up the fact that Mr. Pipkins was making arrangements for a gun to place at a designated location where she could retrieve it. Respondent was fully aware that Mr. Pipkins was making these calls in part because Officer Belmontes told her that Mr. Pipkins was making calls to arrange for a gun and in part because she spoke to Mr. Pipkins about his need to make calls to arrange for the placement of a gun. The Board finds Respondent guilty of the charges in Specification No. 4.