Thornton Twp supervisor’s fake police vehicles should be confiscated

Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany A. Henyard allegedly impropely used police vehicles and license plates. | Edgar County Watchdogs

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs

Aug 25, 2022

People should be able to trust that those operating vehicles displaying Municipal Police license plates and police equipment such as the lights used to pull people over, that there are legitimate law enforcement officers behind the wheel. Fake police cars further erode trust in the police. This is what is happening in Thornton Township.

We understand from a source that the State Police were at Thornton Township looking for those police cars this afternoon after having received a complaint about their unauthorized use. Channel 2 is at an event in Thornton Township this evening and they should be reporting something on this later tonight.

Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany A. Henyard purchased two police vehicles using Thornton Township Highway Department funds after she was appointed to the position. This is an improper use of road district funds.

She also had Municipal Police license plates put on both of them. We understand one is for her use and the other is for the use of the City of Dolton’s Administrator and her personal bodyguard, among others. License plate numbers are MP 21 101 and MP 21 102. This, in our opinion and further explained below is fraudulent use of police equipment and license plates.

Both vehicles are registered in the name of Thornton Township.

In Illinois, townships are not permitted to have their own police departments – which also means they are not permitted to have their own police cars, let alone police cars with Municipal Police license plates on them.

Police officers have a duty to impound these vehicles and remove those license plates.

Here is the text of a complaint sent to the Secretary of State Police early this morning, which explains in detail which laws are alleged to be violated, and the fact that the vehicles should be impounded:

“The public has a right to be secure in their dealings with public officials, especially when those public officials and employees are operating vehicles displaying Municipal Police license plates. Any question of the legitimacy of such vehicles and operators leads to public distrust of police. Misuse of Municipal Police license plates should never be tolerated.
After being appointed to a vacancy in the Office of Thornton Township Supervisor, Tiffany A. Henyard, caused the Thornton Township Highway Department to purchase two police vehicles (complete with police lights, etc.) for her to use as the Township Supervisor and another one for her “Chief of Staff” to use.

After the purchase, Supervisor Henyard caused Municipal Police license plates to be obtained and placed on both vehicles.

Thornton Township does not have a Police Department and is not authorized to have a Police Department.

These are MP plate numbers 21-101 and 21-102 – attached are FOIA responses from the SOS on these two vehicles.

Since then, both vehicles are being used with the Municipal Police license plates installed and with the police/warning lights uncovered on public roads in Illinois.

Please investigate this alleged fraudulent use of Municipal Police license plates by the Supervisor of Thornton Township and consider confiscating those vehicles and license plates and charging her with unauthorized use of official police equipment. The Illinois Criminal Code, Sec 12-609(d) authorizes their confiscation.

Sec 12-215 of the Illinois Criminal Code prohibits display of police lights when not authorized, whether lighted or unlighted. Sec 12-215(g) and (h) prescribe the penalties for these violations as Felony and Misdemeanor depending on which paragraph violated.

Sec 12-215.1 of the Illinois Criminal Code prohibits the mere possession of this equipment and license plates, and Sec 12-215.1(b) prescribes the penalty as a Misdemeanor, and Sec 12-215.1(c) mandates that law enforcement seize this equipment (including license plates) when unlawfully possessed.

Sec 12-609(b) of the Illinois Criminal Code prohibits this activity and Sec 12-609 explains the penalty as a petty offense.

These two vehicles do not meet the definition of “Authorized emergency vehicle” found in Sec 1-105 of the Criminal Code since a township is not authorized a police department and cannot be a “proper local authority” to authorize police vehicles.”