Morrison Chief issues statement regarding video of officer’s interaction with suspect

MORRISON, Ill. – Morrison Police Chief Michael Moon issued a statement this week regarding an interaction caught on camera between an officer and a suspect.

The majority of the interaction was captured on video by a neighbor of where the incident occurred in the 500 block of N Base Street, according to witnesses and police.

In the video, a Morrison police officer is repeatedly heard using derogatory language toward a suspect who they were trying to remove from the property.

It happened Aug. 29 shortly after 9:30 p.m. when officers responded to a report of a man allegedly trespassing and harassing neighbors, according to dispatch logs I obtained through a records request.

While on scene, officers requested an ambulance after observing the suspect was likely under the influence of narcotics, according to Moon and dispatch logs.

The ambulance arrived on scene around 9:54 p.m. and the suspect was taken to the hospital shortly after 10 p.m. where he was administered medications and placed on an overnight hold, dispatch logs show.

No criminal charges were filed.

Watch key parts of video below.

^{*LANGUAGE ALERT* Key parts of the video capturing the Aug. 29 incident (Morrison resident)}

^{Whiteside County EMS dispatch audio recording from around 9:45pm to 10:15pm Aug. 29 (Broadcastify)}

Dispatch logs show Matthew Munson and William Lukehart were the Morrison officers who responded to the scene.

Chief Moon confirmed to me Lukehart was the officer using the questionable language heard on the video. He was hired by the Morrison Police Department in May, according to a records request.

In the statement provided to me Tuesday, Chief Moon says the department ‘internally reviewed’ the incident. As a result, the department, ‘acknowledges that the officer, upon reflection, could have taken a different approach to de-escalate the incident.’

Chief Moon said the officer has been, ‘counseled regarding his conduct,’ but told me he will remain employed.

“The Morrison Police Department and its officers are committed to conducting themselves competently and professionally at all times, must exercise restraint in the use of their authority and understand they are held to a high standard that must be beyond reproach in order to earn and maintain public trust. This incident certainly reminds us of our responsibility to the community we protect and serve.“

Chief Moon also gave more details about the suspect, saying the man involved has had 52 documented contacts with Morrison Police within the past year. Adding, the department had four previous contacts with the man on the day of the Aug. 29 incident.

Dispatch logs show Munson and Lukehart interacted with the suspect about two hours before the incident captured on video for allegedly walking up to houses and standing on the porch. The interaction ended around 7:41 p.m. after officers escorted him home and told him to, ‘stay inside and stay dry.’

There is no indication officers drew their firearms or utilized any use of force when interacting with the suspect on Aug. 29.

Full video below.

^{Full video from around 9:37 p.m. to 9:57 p.m. Aug. 29 (Morrison resident)}