In a plot twist worthy of a TV drama, former University of Illinois quarterback and current Chicago police officer, Christopher Pazan, finds himself far from the football field and deep within the throes of controversy. The 41-year-old has been charged with shoplifting approximately $300 worth of baseball cards from a Meijer store in Evergreen Park, Illinois. It seems the once celebrated athlete is now trading his playbook for a less glamorous script featuring a police investigation and a yard waste bag doubling as his alleged tool of choice.
This less-than-stellar play unfolded when an astute security guard detected Pazan’s sneaky maneuvering on surveillance footage. The former star athlete, cunningly—or perhaps not so much—slipped the prized cards into a yard waste bag, all the while managing only to pay for the bag as he exited the store. Maybe it was a misjudged game strategy that didn’t quite translate from field to store aisle, but it certainly landed him in a most unwelcome kind of spotlight.
With his badge temporarily shelved while the Chicago Police Department embarks on a thorough internal review, Pazan’s policing powers are now on hold. Most recently, he has been part of the force in the Morgan Park District and involved with central investigations, dealing with significant cases like arson and vehicle theft—ironic considering the light fingers he allegedly displayed.
Christopher Pazan’s journey began long before this saga. A high school football standout at Brother Rice High School in Mount Greenwood, he basked in All-American glory before embarking on his college career at the University of Illinois. Although his time as a starting quarterback was limited, the experience undoubtedly marked a high-point. After college, Pazan even ventured into coaching, holding positions at both his alma mater and St. Joseph’s College. When whistles and playbooks were tucked away, he decided to protect and serve, seeking fulfillment beyond the gridiron and entering the ranks of law enforcement in 2015.
His transition to the Chicago Police Department was narratively seamless, save for reports that he still dabbled in the sport by playing for the Chicago Enforcers, a police football league team. Hence, the leap from tackling players on a football field to tackling crime in Chicago made sense, at least until now.
As if a charge of retail theft isn’t challenging enough, Pazan’s personal finances are equally precarious. Despite a respectable salary of $111,804, excluding overtime, he’s caught in a web of fiscal woes that might have made a heist seem, to him, like an opportunity rather than a crime. Currently going through a divorce, he was headed to a court hearing on the very day he took his misguided shopping spree. Moreover, like hapless victims of student loans and credit card traps, Pazan is no stranger to creditors chasing his shadow. His former attorney is none too pleased either, urging a judge to order him to pay over $5,800 in lingering legal fees. Meanwhile, refinancing his Beverly residence appears to be his solution to stay afloat and fund settlements.
Digging deeper into his financial timeline, Pazan’s wallet troubles have been persistent. Last year, Fifth Third Bank tried to recover over $4,000 he owed, albeit unsuccessfully as they couldn’t locate him. JPMorgan Chase also had a bone to pick, suing him for a hefty $15,000—although this matter was eventually settled. Such recurrent financial misadventures underscore the city’s hiring guidelines about potential police recruits with significant debt, explicitly designed to circumvent possible corruption vulnerabilities.
For now, Chicago’s law enforcement roster will have to proceed without this particular officer. Facing a misdemeanor count of retail theft, Pazan’s legal journey now involves a court date scheduled for June 23 in Bridgeview. What this means for his future in law enforcement is yet to be determined. Whether the scales of justice will be more forgiving to a man who once traded the pigskin for a badge remains to be seen, but it undoubtedly casts a shadow over a career in uniform that promised so much differently.
For those who followed his exploits on the field, Pazan’s current predicament might add an extra layer of unpredictability to the tumultuous mix that life, with one swipe, can often be.
