Chicago Sun-Times
CHICAGO — A Chicago Police commander has been arrested and charged with misdemeanor telephone harassment of her former boyfriend — a Chicago Police officer — allegations her lawyer says are overblown because they were simply the result of a lovers’ quarrel.
Cmdr. Penelope Trahanas of the Harrison District on the West Side turned herself in to the Internal Affairs Division on Tuesday night, police said. She was relieved of her police powers pending an investigation by the department and the Independent Police Review Authority.
Officer Matthew Jackson, who has obtained an emergency protection order against her, claims Trahanas left threatening voice mails suggesting she could ruin his career and hinting at violence. Investigators are reviewing 15 calls, records show.
A hearing is set Friday morning for a judge to determine whether to continue the order for two years, as Jackson has requested, said Thomas Needham, an attorney for Trahanas.
Jackson appears to be trying to scuttle Trahanas’ career over a lovers’ quarrel, Needham said.
“Regardless of whatever intemperate, unfortunate things she said in her voice mails to him, there is no need for an order of protection,” he said.
The squabble began March 10 when Jackson, who was off duty, visited Trahanas in her office in the Harrison District, Needham said.
“They had a heated argument about their relationship,” Needham said. “He felt her work duties were consuming far too much of her time.”
According to Needham, Jackson gave her an ultimatum: step down as commander and get a position with more reasonable work hours or the relationship was over.
“I am sure voices were raised on both sides,” Needham said, adding that Trahanas told Jackson she planned to keep the commander position to which she appointed to in August after serving as a watch commander in the Englewood District.
“Unfortunately, I do not think she saved a lot of the heated text messages and voice mails that he sent her,” Needham said.
Jackson claims he received threatening voice mails from Trahanas on Thursday. He went to court on Friday seeking the civil emergency order of protection, Needham said.
Needham believes Jackson asked for an April 2 hearing date to interfere with a vacation his client planned to take in Hawaii with her children. Needham said he rescheduled the hearing for this Friday morning.
“I want a judge to review this and hear her side of the story,” Needham said. “They never lived together, have no children, share no property, he lives on the South Side and she lives on the Northwest Side. There is no need for this order. ... He is posturing as a domestic-violence victim.”
Jackson, who works in the mail room at police headquarters at 35th and Michigan, was a Chicago Police spokesman from about 2000 to 2005.
He could not be immediately be reached for comment today.
Trahanas, who dated Jackson for more than two years, has denied in court papers that she committed a crime against him.
Copyright 2010 Chicago Sun-Times