Peterson's son gets 8-day suspension over squad-car use

By Joseph Sjostrom Tribune reporter
12:02 AM CDT, April 10, 2008

Stephen Peterson, who was in his Oak Brook police uniform and driving a squad car when he was caught by news cameras after appearing before a Will County grand jury investigating the disappearance of his father's wife, was given an 8-day suspension Wednesday night for, according to his chief, casting the department in a bad light.

Peterson, 28, son of former Bolingbrook police Sgt. Drew Peterson, used "extremely poor judgment in using a squad car in a matter that had nothing to do with the Oak Brook Police Department or the village of Oak Brook," Chief Thomas Sheahan told the Oak Brook Police and Fire Commission.

The three-member panel handed down the suspension after meeting in executive session. Sheahan's attorney, Charles Hervas, had asked for a suspension of 6 to 15 days. The commission left the decision as to when the suspension would begin up to the chief.Peterson left the Oak Brook Village Hall following the commission's ruling without comment.

Sheahan said Peterson previously had been given 1-day suspensions on two occasions—for making a rude comment to a citizen and for sending an inappropriate message on a police computer.

Peterson had told the panel that he appeared before the grand jury four times, twice in uniform. He said he thought he had permission on Nov. 29 and Dec. 13 because he notified his superiors and he wore his uniform because he expected to return before his shift was over.

But Sgt. Casey Calvello, his superior Dec. 13, said he and Peterson did not discuss where the court appearance was or why he was going. Calvello later saw Peterson on TV.

"After I found out there was a problem," Calvello said, he asked Peterson if he had gotten permission. " 'Did I say you could take the squad car? If I did, I'd go to the chief and take the hit.' He said, 'No.' "Drew Peterson, 54, is a suspect in the Oct. 28 disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy. The grand jury also is investigating the 2004 drowning of Kathleen Savio, his third wife, who was found dead in a dry bathtub.

Drew Peterson denies wrongdoing in either case. He has not been named a suspect in Savio's death, and has not been charged in either case.