Chicago Police Union Hires Officer Accused In Teen’s Death

Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke, charged with with murder in the 2014 videotaped shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald, stands in front of Judge Vincent Gaughan with his attorneys in the courtroom at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago, Wednesday, March 23, 2016, during a status hearing in his case. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)
Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke, charged with with murder in the 2014 videotaped shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald, stands in front of Judge Vincent Gaughan with his attorneys in the courtroom at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago, Wednesday, March 23, 2016, during a status hearing in his case. Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool
Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke, charged with with murder in the 2014 videotaped shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald, stands in front of Judge Vincent Gaughan with his attorneys in the courtroom at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago, Wednesday, March 23, 2016, during a status hearing in his case. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)
Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke, charged with with murder in the 2014 videotaped shooting death of black teenager Laquan McDonald, stands in front of Judge Vincent Gaughan with his attorneys in the courtroom at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago, Wednesday, March 23, 2016, during a status hearing in his case. Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool

Chicago Police Union Hires Officer Accused In Teen’s Death

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The Chicago police union says it has hired as a janitor the officer charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a black teenager.

Dean Angelo, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Chicago, says the union hired Jason Van Dyke about three weeks ago.

Van Dyke is accused of shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times in 2014. The shooting was captured on squad-car video and has prompted investigations, including a federal civil rights probe of the Chicago Police Department.

Angelo says Van Dyke, who has been suspended from the department, is in a “very difficult situation, financially.” Angelo says the union would do the same for any Chicago officer.

The union says Van Dyke has lost other jobs due to publicity and that threats closed his wife’s business.