In a twist fit for the plot of a sports drama, the former University of Illinois quarterback turned Chicago police officer, Christopher Pazan, finds himself in the spotlight, not for his prowess on the football field or his valor in a police uniform, but for allegedly attempting to pilfer $300 worth of baseball cards from a store in Evergreen Park.
The bizarre situation unfolded when a vigilant security guard at the Meijer store on South Western Avenue noticed some tomfoolery afoot. Through the watchful eye of a security camera, Pazan, 41, was allegedly seen engaging in a scene that would make Ocean’s Eleven blush — slipping precious baseball cards into a yard waste bag. Payment was rendered for the bag, mind you, but the cards were apparently not part of the deal at checkout, according to authorities.
Following this peculiar incident, Pazan’s career trajectory took a nosedive akin to a wayward pass intercepted at crunch time. The Chicago Police Department, where Pazan has been serving since 2015, promptly stripped him of his police powers pending an internal probe. Before landing himself on the wrong side of the law, Pazan was assigned to the Morgan Park District, dabbling in central investigations involving arson, financial crimes, major crashes, and vehicle theft — ironically, tasks demanding more finesse than swiping trading cards.
Attempts to contact Pazan’s attorney have been akin to trying to complete a Hail Mary pass into the end zone – futile. Christopher Pazan, too, has been keeping a low profile, declining to comment on this latest development in his distinctly non-sporty saga.
Pazan’s journey, pre-dating his career in law enforcement, paints a rather different picture. He was a celebrated quarterback during his high school years at Brother Rice High School in Mount Greenwood, even bagging All-American honors. This accolade paved his way to the University of Illinois, where he occasionally took the helm on the football field. His journey then navigated through coaching gigs at Illinois and St. Joseph’s College, before pivoting towards policing.
In a 2015 chit-chat with the Chicago Tribune, Pazan laid bare his motivations for swapping the football field for a badge, articulating a yearning to serve his community in a novel capacity. His camaraderie with fellow officers manifested in playing for the Chicago Enforcers, a football team consisting entirely of law enforcement personnel.
However, financial clouds seem to have loomed large over Pazan’s otherwise blue skies. Court and financial documents uncover a sobering narrative of monetary strife. The former quarterback earns a decent salary of $111,804, sans overtime, according to city documentation. Yet, court filings have illuminated his ongoing divorce proceedings and a demanding financial landscape characterized by unpaid legal fees north of $5,800, as highlighted by his erstwhile attorney, Tania K. Harvey. Corroborating this financial turmoil, his legal team disclosed pending refinancing activities on his home in Beverly, intended to foot legal bills and seal a settlement deal.
Monetary woes are, it seems, a recurrent theme in Pazan’s playbook. In 2022, Fifth Third Bank found itself chasing down over $4,000 Pazan owed, but the case slid into oblivion when the bank misplaced his whereabouts. Tangoing with debt continued as JPMorgan Chase slapped a lawsuit demanding over $15,000, a storm Pazan weathered by paying off a settlement by mid-2024.
Interestingly, Pazan’s financial distress raises questions regarding employment protocols within the police department. City hiring guidelines discourage debt-ridden applicants from joining the academy, striving to deter recruits potentially susceptible to corruption or succumbing to financial predicaments.
With this surprising charge akin to a shocking upset on the field, Christopher Pazan faces a misdemeanor count of retail theft. His day in court is ticketed for June 23 in Bridgeview, a departure from his usual engagements in police football games or arresting suspects.
The curious case of Christopher Pazan serves as a stark reminder that life’s path can be as unpredictable as a football game laden with fumbles and false starts. As he readies to face a courtroom audience rather than a stadium crowd, Pazan’s intricate and intriguing narrative unfolds, raising eyebrows and painting a multifaceted portrait of ambition, adversity, and the surprising turns life can take.
