U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested a police officer with the Hanover Park Police Department who federal officials say has been living in the country illegally for nearly a decade.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Radule Bojovic, a native of Montenegro, was taken into custody during a “targeted enforcement action.” DHS said Bojovic entered the United States on a B-2 tourist visa and overstayed it after it expired in 2015.
“What kind of police department gives criminal illegal aliens badges and guns?” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “It’s a felony for aliens to even possess a firearm.”
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The Hanover Park Police Department, located about 35 miles west of Chicago, defended its decision to hire Bojovic in January. Officials said Bojovic provided proper documentation and passed all required background checks before being sworn in as an officer.
“The Village also confirmed, based on a memorandum issued by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Jan. 5, 2024, that his immigration status allowed him to carry a firearm while on duty,” the department said in a statement.
Bojovic has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of his immigration proceedings. The department said he will be allowed to return to duty if he is legally permitted to remain in the United States.
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