Chicago Police recruit accused of attacking Schiller Park officer during traffic stop
SCHILLER PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- A Chicago police recruit has found herself on the wrong side of the law —accused of pushing, striking, scratching, and even kicking an officer in west suburban Schiller Park.
As CBS 2's Charlie De Mar reported Monday, the recruit's career as an officer is now potentially on the line before it started. The big question Monday night was why the recruit is not facing state criminal charges after what has been described as a belligerent and violent incident.
Schiller Park police said just after 2 a.m. Saturday, Denisse Balseca was pulled over after she hit a curb on the quiet 4100 block of Grace Street in Schiller Park.
The CPD recruit allegedly refused to provide "basic identity information after being stopped for a traffic violation," a police report said.
The report said Balseca refused to provide her driver's license and proof of insurance when asked to do so – and insisted she did not have to provide them despite an officer telling her she did.
The report described Balseca as "highly uncooperative and hostile" to the officer. Responding officers made "many attempts to defuse the situation," but Balseca refused to listen, the report said.
An officer observed that Balseca had bloodshot and glassy eyes and "an odor of an alcohol-based beverage emanating from her breath as she spoke," the report said.
Balseca was told she would be arrested if she did not provide her information, but she still refused, the report said. At that point, Balseca was told she was now being arrested and was ordered to get out of the car, the report said.
Balseca refused to get out of the car, and an officer had to place her in a control hold and escort her out, the report sad.
Outside the car, Balseca refused to place her hands behind her back when ordered to do so, the report said. She "instead pushed, struck, scratched, and kicked" the officer "in an attempt to defeat the arrest," the report said.
The officer did get a handcuff on Balseca's right wrist, but she used her body to pull away from the officer and flailed her left arm, the report said. She kept on striking and kicking the officer, the report said.
Balseca did eventually get the handcuff on Balseca's left wrist too, but then she refused to get into the back of the squad car, the report said. The officer placed Balseca in a control hold and got her into the back of the squad car – and she used her body to slam herself against the inside of the vehicle, the report said.
Balseca also continuously yelled profanity at the officer, the report said.
Balesca was finally transported to the Schiller Park Police Department for processing, the report said.
The officer did "sustain a laceration to his right arm and is doing fine," police said.
At the police station, Balseca was read her rights and continued to ask why she had been arrested, the report said. When the officer showed the injuries she had caused, she said, "How else was I supposed to get away?" the report said.
When asked if she had been drinking, Balseca responded that she consumed
"one beer," the report said.
The Chicago Police Department late Monday was not saying much about their recruit - who aspired to become an officer and is now accused of attacking a fellow member in blue.
A spokesperson for the CPD said: "There is an active Bureau of Internal Affairs investigation into this matter. We will not comment further due to the open investigation."
Balseca was charged with a handful of ordinance and traffic violations. She is not facing state criminal charges.
She was processed and released.
When Schiller Park police were asked why Balseca was not charged criminally, Deputy Chief Joseph DeSimone issued this response: "Due to a variety of factors, and in many cases, Officers have the discretion to charge suspects with charges they deem to be appropriate. I cannot speak for the Officer in this case."
As to the recruit's future, the Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability has been notified and is also investigating.