In a twist that melds the sports world with a classic whodunit scenario, Christopher Pazan, a former University of Illinois quarterback who traded in his playbook for a badge, finds himself at the forefront of a decidedly unsporting drama. Making national headlines faster than a Hail Mary playoff in overtime, the Chicago police officer has been accused of attempting to steal approximately $300 worth of baseball cards from a quite unsuspecting Meijer store located on South Western Avenue in Evergreen Park.
The curtains rose on this suburban saga when a security guard, keeping a vigilant watch over the retail expanse, allegedly observed Pazan’s less than clandestine card caper on video footage. According to Sgt. Victor Watts of the Evergreen Park Police Department, Pazan reportedly slipped the prized baseball cards into a humble yard waste bag—a titillating plot twist that left shoppers scratching their heads and the security team on high alert. The tale of intrigue, however, hit an anticlimactic note when Pazan paid for the bag itself but attempted to waltz out without settling up for the cards, a misstep that culminated in his arrest.
As the news ripples through the ranks, the Chicago Police Department has already taken measures, stripping Pazan of his police powers pending an internal investigation—a procedural playbook dictating the motions until the clouds of controversy lift. Prior to this imbroglio, Pazan had marched under the colors of the Morgan Park District, contributing his efforts to the central investigations division, an arena tackling cases ranging from financial skullduggery to vehicular chicanery.
Understandably, efforts to extract a comment from Pazan’s attorney seem as elusive as finding a mint condition Honus Wagner card tucked beneath a couch cushion. Meanwhile, Pazan himself remains out of reach, maintaining a quiet demeanor as the story unfolds publicly.
Long before his present pickle, Pazan’s life painted a different narrative, scripting his journey from dazzling quarterback at Brother Rice High School in Mount Greenwood, where accolades rained down in All-American fashion, to the football fields of the University of Illinois. Though his college career was peppered with a few starting games, he eventually redirected his ambitions towards the gridirons of coaching, steering budding athletes at Illinois and St. Joseph’s College before donning the uniform of the Chicago police force.
Reflecting on this course change in a 2015 chat with the Chicago Tribune, Pazan articulated a thirst for purpose—drawn to serving his community on the frontline, he nurtured aspirations of contributing to society’s betterment. His passion for the game endured nonetheless, as he found himself playing for the Chicago Enforcers, a spirited assembly of law enforcement officers vying for victory in a police football league.
Financially, Pazan’s journey has been less rosy. Despite a robust salary of $111,804 (before overtime), recent times saw him grappling with monetary woes amid a tumultuous divorce. Legal entanglements seemed to loom large in the background, with recent proceedings revealing unpaid dues striking the discordant chord in his life. His former legal counsel, Tania K. Harvey, signaled financial storms ahead with claims for over $5,800 in fees yet to be settled.
To navigate these financial waters, his current defense narrative sees him refinancing his Beverly abode—perhaps purchasing precious time to regroup amid the legal and personal tempests.
Hints of fiscal troubles aren’t entirely novel on Pazan’s ledger. Last year bore witness to a bank’s futile chase after a $4,000 loan, an episode ending in libretto-like dismissal when the bank found Pazan harder to pin down than an offseason transfer rumor. Crossing into 2022, JPMorgan Chase sought settlement over $15,000, but the skirmish eventually concluded amicably, seeing Pazan emerging with dues settled by mid-2024.
Interestingly, city hiring protocols for police departments aim a scrutinizing lens at applicants’ financial standings, embedding stringent criteria to stave off potential corruption born from fiscal desperation. To this end, those with significant debts often see the “Do Not Cross” tape draped across the entrance of policy academy opportunities.
Charged with a misdemeanor retail theft count, Pazan now awaits his date with legal destiny scheduled for June 23 in the courtroom spotlight of Bridgeview. This upcoming legal episode adds another chapter to the life of a man who once threw spirals across fields but now stands in the wings, contemplating the next move in his real-life playbook.
