The Peoria Police Chief and Peoria County State’s Attorney say the process that unfolded around the Twitter parody debacle went just as the law prescribes.
Chief Settingsgaard says he understands the State’s Attorney’s ruling fuels the fire under the idea that the police did something wrong, but he’s not angry about it. Rather he says that is the way the process is designed to work. “If that’s how the State’s Attorney believes the case should be interpreted, I’m glad for that. If the law is not intended to prohibit the behavior that we are investigating, I don’t want the individual charged with a crime. I don’t want them to be dragged through a court trial just to be found guilt so we can all cover their butts. That’s how the process works and it worked wonderfully.”
As for the public characterization of the Peoria Police as ‘Jack Booted Thugs,’ Settingsgaard says anyone who knows them knows that is a parody representation.
Jacob Elliott, 36 is still facing charges on marijuana possession. He is the only person who was arrested from the home police searched after it was linked to the @peoriamayor twitter account.
As of Friday morning police were still holding some of the electronic devices removed from the University Street address, pending the State’s Attorney’s release.