Special prosecutor appointed to Joliet cop’s reckless firearm, domestic battery case

A special prosecutor was appointed to the case of a Joliet police officer who was charged with hitting his girlfriend and recklessly firing his gun into the ceiling of her home.

On Monday, a Will County judge granted a motion from Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Fitzgerald to appoint a special prosecutor to Officer Nicholas M. Crowley’s case.

Will County State’s Attorney spokesman Charles B. Pelkie has said a special prosecutor was recommended because Crowley and his girlfriend, who is also a Joliet police officer, are witnesses on cases the office is prosecuting.

One of the members of the special prosecution unit with the Illinois Office of the State's Attorney Appellate Prosecutor may be assigned to the case.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 5.

Crowley, 37, was arrested by Joliet police following an incident on July 16 where he allegedly hit his girlfriend in the head and fired his gun into the ceiling of her town home. He also allegedly damaged his girlfriend’s TV set.

Crowley has surrendered his firearm owner’s identification card to Will County authorities and his firearms to the police. He’s also been on paid leave while police conduct criminal and administrative investigations of the incident.

Crowley is being represented by attorney Jeff Tomczak, who has filed motions for discovery and preservation of evidence, including tape, audio, video and communication records.

On July 31, Joliet police suspended Crowley for five days after internal affairs found he violated department policy by posing in uniform while brandishing his on-duty firearm in a Snapchat photo.

Crowley said he posed with his duty weapon to impress a person whose named was redacted in an internal affairs investigation report released to The Herald-News. Crowley admitted to embarrassing the department and himself.