Off-Duty Chicago Police Commander Foils Theft
Commander Don Jerome, witnessed a man stealing a bicycle, when he intervened and held the man for police
An off-duty Chicago Police commander is said to have stopped a man from stealing a bicycle from someone on the 4800 block of W Balmoral on Wednesday evening around 6:42 P.M.
Police responded to a call of a theft and a male breaking into a garage and a man pinned down on the 4800 block of W Catalpa then there was a call of 10-1 (a police emergency) on the 4800 block of W Balmoral, caller said an off-duty police commander was fighting with a theft suspect.
The commander was identified as Chicago Police Commander Don Jerome of the 9th District. Per Chicago Police: “A male complainant (unknown age) was involved in a physical altercation with a 40-year-old male offender while in an alley. The complaint related to responding officers that he observed the offender enter the backyard of a 47-year-old female victim's residence. The offender then attempted to take property from the backyard of the residence before being confronted by the complainant. The offender was taken into custody and charged accordingly.” The property was identified as a bicycle.
The offender was identified as 40-year-old Toney Brown who was charged with one count felony count of Resisting/Obstructing/Peace Officer and one felony count of Theft Control Intent<$500.
Commander Don Jerome received the “2012 National Association of Police Organizations' ‘Top Cops’ award” and was honored by the then-President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden for "extraordinary acts of bravery.” Jerome was presented the award in 2012 after he helped fend off 2 armed robbers who had tied up and gagged six people including 3 children on the 4100 block of W North Ave. His heroics helped clear a pattern of more than a half-dozen armed robberies, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Bond for Brown was set at $5,000 d-bond, meaning he can leave Cook County Jail after posting $500.