Chicago, IL — Former Chicago Police Department officer Eric Tabb has pleaded guilty to two felony counts of aggravated battery in a public place, admitting to groping two female CPD recruits during and after their training academy period.
As part of a plea deal approved in Cook County court, Tabb will avoid jail time but must serve 30 months of probation and complete a mandatory sex offender treatment program. In exchange, prosecutors dropped additional charges.
Victim testimony and court outcome
The two victims, who were classmates of Tabb in the police academy, both gave statements in court. One woman described how the trauma from the August 2023 and December 2023 incidents disrupted the bond recruits rely on:
“He broke that trust with so many of us,” she said, “but today, I feel like we’re finally being heard.”
Judge James B. Novy told Tabb directly that any violation of his probation would likely result in prison.
Past reports of misconduct ignored by CPD
According to ProPublica, at least five women from Tabb’s training class reported unwanted touching and harassment. However, several complaints were dismissed by CPD supervisors or not taken seriously at the time.
One of the complainants, Alexus Byrd-Maxey, was later fired from the department under disputed circumstances. She believes this resolution does not reflect the damage caused:
“He was protected,” she told ProPublica. “Even after repeated behavior, they still gave him a way out.”
Oversight failures and cultural issues in CPD
This case is part of a broader concern about internal accountability at the Chicago Police Department, especially regarding sexual harassment complaints. Independent watchdogs, including the Invisible Institute, have documented repeated failures to investigate or act on credible internal misconduct reports.
Tabb had remained on the force until May 31, 2024, when he was suspended without pay shortly before resigning.
Do plea deals go too easy on public servants? Should CPD face greater scrutiny over how it handles internal abuse complaints? Join the conversation now at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
