Jonathan Hedges has been a Rockford Police officer since 2008. Hedges was briefly fired in 2016 before being rehired months later.

2002-TR-0045784 Disregard traffic signal

2015-OP-0002156 Ex-wife filed OP against him

2015-DT-0001055 DUI

2015-TR-0032479 Dismissed

In 2014, Hedges was divorced from his wife. His ex-wife shortly after began a relationship with Rockford Police officer Nathan Milne.

In the months following, Hedges, Milne, and the ex-wife regularly engaged in combative arguments over text messages.

Hedge's ex-wife filed an OP against Hedges. In the OP, the ex alleged that over the course of their relationship, Hedges abused her verbally and physically.

She claimed that Hedges is a drunk who believes he is above the law because he is a police officer. They wrote that Hedges hit her multiple times on multiple different occasions. The most extreme alleged abuse came after another night of drinking. Hedges held a loaded gun to his ex-wife's head and told her to eat shit and die.

The ex-wife alleged these text messages were harassing, which broadened the internal investigation into Hedges. She also warned officers that there were several graphic photos Hedges had taken of crime victims.

There was a file on Hedges' computer titled ‘I see dead people.’

One photo was of a dead man at an unknown location who had a steak knife in his chest and his eyes still were open. Another was of a dead man inside a garage who had suffered a self-inflicted shotgun wound. One was of a male who had his injured genitals exposed while he was being treated at Rockford Memorial Hospital.

All photos were deleted before they could be looked at by officers.

Through the ex-wife's tip, it was revealed that Hedges hid the fact that he was involved in an accident in March of 2014.

The accident caused a tire to blow and broke the car's axle.

Hedges said he was driving from Fibs, a bar in Rockton, where he admitted he had a few drinks.

In a written report, Hedges said the insurance company did not cover any cost of the damages. He later told internal investigators that his insurance paid $2,500 in damages.

It was later revealed that State Farm paid over $11,000.

On October 14th, 2015, Hedges was found passed out in the driver's seat of his truck. The truck was parked in the middle of the street near the house of a Rockford Police officer that Hedges was staying with following the divorce.

Neighbors tried but were unsuccessful in waking Hedges up. They decided to call the police when they found a Glock in the driveway.

The initial responding officers treated the scene as if it were a welfare check.

The officers admitted that Hedges told them he had a few drinks and they could smell alcohol on his breath.

When officers searched the vehicle, they found an open bottle of UV blue.

Hedges was dismissed by then Interim Rockford Police Pat Hoey.

On October 10th, 2015, Strawser and Hedges responded to a domestic call. Torrey Turner, the suspect, ran from the scene.

When Hedges caught up to Turner, Turner began to give himself up. Hedges body slammed him onto the ground and punched him in the face multiple times.

Torrey Turner was knocked unconscious due to Hedges' use of force.

The city of Rockford agreed to settle the lawsuit for $110,000.

When Dan O'Shea took over as police chief, he worked with the police union to bring Hedges back.

In 2019, Hedges made $83,269 in salary + $6,330 in overtime = $89,599 + $8,450 in health insurance + $30,497 pension pay.

In 2020, they made $88,078 in salary + $3,590 in overtime = $91,668 + $8,320 in health insurance + $33,025 in pension pay.

In 2021, they made $99,034 in salary + $2,470 in overtime = $101,504 + $24,960 in health insurance + $34,932 in pension pay.

In 2022, they made $93,992 in salary + $2,976 in overtime = $96,968 + $25,350 in health insurance + $39,700 in pension pay.

In 2023, they made $102,655 in salary + $10,205 in overtime = $112,860 + $25,350 in health insurance + $46,059 in pension pay.

In 2024, they made $95,643 in salary + $7,719 in overtime = $103,362 + $26,325 in health insurance + $52,059 in pension pay.

If you or anyone you know has been abused, harassed or otherwise mistreated by this officer please email us with the officers name in the subject.