The City of Elgin has terminated police officer Jason Lentz after Lentz posted controversial pro-ICE comments on his Facebook page in October 2025.
The termination follows an independent investigation that found he violated departmental policies and standard operating procedures when making the posts.
Elgin Police Chief Ana Lalley determined that termination was the appropriate disciplinary action following a review of the investigative findings. The decision was approved by the city’s corporation counsel and city manager.
Chief Lalley was made aware of the posts on Oct. 15, 2025. Lentz was placed on administrative leave the following day, and the city immediately initiated an independent investigation.
Chief Lalley said, “Lentz’s termination for misconduct is warranted and necessary to uphold standards the community expects and deserves. His actions do not reflect the standards of this agency. I ask the Elgin community to not judge our current and future officers based on the actions of one individual. The department remains committed to working with all members of the community to build lasting and meaningful relationships grounded in respect, understanding, accountability and trust. These values have not, and will not, change.”
The investigation found that Lentz’s social media posts suggested the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conduct enforcement actions at three locations in Elgin and surrounding communities, and tagged those agencies. Investigators determined that these actions violated departmental policies.
Separately, Lentz applied for a disability pension on Oct. 16, 2025. He had been working in a light-duty assignment following a 2023 on-duty injury. The Elgin Police Pension Board approved his application on Feb. 24, 2026.
The pension board operates independently from the city under state law, and its determinations are separate from the city’s disciplinary process; his disability pension is not affected by his termination.
City Manager Rick Kozal also expressed support for the decision.
“I wholly support Chief Lalley’s decision to terminate Lentz as a police officer. I was among those in the city administration demanding Lentz’s firing in 2014 for similar misconduct. While an arbitrator ultimately overturned the city’s decision to fire Lentz and impose a six-month suspension instead, Elgin succeeded in establishing precedent for holding police officers accountable for inflammatory social media posts before such disciplinary action became the norm.”
