Police oversight investigator charged with DUI on New Year's Day

BY ASHLEE REZIN AND GEORGE SLEFO

A supervisor who investigates misconduct in the Chicago Police Department was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol on New Year’s Day, authorities said.

George Roberts, 50, was arrested about 1:20 a.m. Thursday in the 1500 block of West 85th Place, police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala said.

In addition to the DUI, Roberts was charged with having no insurance, failure to use a turn signal and failure to stay in his lane, Zala said. Roberts was pulling out of a parking space at the time of his arrest, police said.

According to an arrest report, the Chicago Police officers who curbed Roberts’ black 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer smelled a strong odor of alcohol and saw that he seemed confused, had difficulty exiting the vehicle, was staggering and had glassy eyes and slurred speech.

The officers also saw that Roberts has soiled himself, the arrest report said. He “spontaneously” said that he had just left a lounge and “had consumed two rum and cokes.”

When the officers put Roberts in the back of the squad car, the arrest report said that he proceeded to lie down and go to sleep.

Larry Merritt of the Independent Police Review Authority confirmed Saturday that Roberts is a supervisor for the agency.

“The matter is with the Inspector General’s office,” Merritt said. “We won’t have any comment other than he is a supervisor for the agency.”

Roberts has been with the Chicago Police Department for 28 years, according to city records.

The Independent Police Review Authority investigates allegations of misconduct, all officer involved shootings, extraordinary occurrences in lock-up and uses of Tasers, among other things.