The Markham cop who discovered a gun within the middle console of a convicted assassin’s automobile, solely to be ordered by the division’s chief to let the person go, has been fired.
Markham Police Chief Jack Genius terminated Probationary Police Officer Kayla M. Heller on December 8, the identical day CWBChicago knowledgeable Genius that the outlet was making ready a information story in regards to the October 8 incident involving Tyrone Muhammad, a convicted killer and U.S. Senate candidate who works as a violence interrupter.
State data present Heller was initially licensed as a regulation enforcement officer on December 20, 2024, and sources acquainted with her employment say she was set to finish her one-year probationary interval with Markham PD this coming Saturday.
However those self same state data present Markham separated Heller on December 8 because the Illinois Legal professional Common’s Workplace was pressuring the city’s police division to supply CWBChicago with video footage associated to Muhammad’s visitors cease, detention, and launch. CWB sought the lawyer common’s intervention after Markham wrongfully refused to launch any details about the October 8 incident regardless of two open data requests.
Heller stopped 54-year-old Muhammad after his automobile’s registration got here again suspended for lack of insurance coverage, in response to a report she filed after detaining him.
Her body-camera footage confirmed Heller discovered a loaded firearm within the middle console of Muhammad’s Chrysler 300 inside seconds of conducting an impound search. As a convicted felon, Muhammad can’t legally possess firearms. He informed CWBChicago final week that the firearm belongs to his spouse. Markham police data point out the gun was returned to its proprietor, a girl, final month, weeks after the visitors cease.
Heller famous in her report that she acquired a telephone name from a Markham PD supervisor as she arrived on the station with Muhammad “advising me per Chief Genius… that I shouldn’t cost Tyrone with Illegal Possession of a Firearm and to contact RB’s Towing and have the automobile returned to the Markham Police Division, with no Zero Tolerance charges added.”
Markham PD didn’t submit the case particulars to prosecutors for a routine overview earlier than releasing Muhammad, in response to a spokesperson for the Prepare dinner County State’s Legal professional’s Workplace.
A number of sources informed CWBChicago on Monday that Heller had carried out at or above expectations since becoming a member of the pressure.
However, per an settlement between the town of Markham and the Illinois Council of Police, a probationary police officer like Heller “could also be terminated with out trigger and such motion shall be closing and the officer shall haven’t any recourse beneath the grievance process or in any other case to contest such suspension or discharge.”
Such probationary preparations are widespread amongst native regulation enforcement companies.
On Monday, CWBChicago filed an open data request with the town of Markham for Heller’s personnel file. State regulation sometimes permits for a five-business-day turnaround, however public entities can request extensions. They’ll additionally refuse to launch requested objects by citing authorized exemptions, as Markham did upon receiving CWBChicago’s requests for data associated to Muhammad’s visitors cease and detention.
Ought to Markham wrongfully deny our request for Heller’s file, we are going to instantly enlist the assist of the Illinois Legal professional Common’s Workplace. Once more.
Genius has not responded to 4 emails in search of remark for our reporting. A Markham metropolis media consultant final week invited questions in regards to the Muhammad matter, however he has not responded to these inquiries.
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