Kevin Bradley "Top Cop" Allegations: DUI Arrests and Missing Laptop Claims

For years, Illinois State Police Trooper Kevin Bradley was celebrated for making hundreds of DUI arrests across the state. But recent courtroom challenges, lawsuits, and investigative reporting have started raising difficult questions about some of those cases.

The Kevin Bradley top cop allegations gained wider attention after ABC7 Chicago investigations connected the decorated trooper to disputed DUI arrests and later uncovered testimony involving a missing MacBook allegedly tracked to his home by one of the drivers he arrested. Here's what we know.

According to ABC7 Chicago, Kevin was named Illinois’ "Top Cop" for three consecutive years by the nonprofit Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists. The recognition is awarded to the officer with the highest number of DUI arrests statewide during a calendar year.

ABC7 reported that Bradley’s DUI arrests climbed from 136 arrests in 2022 to 208 arrests in 2024. His work also earned him a Mothers Against Drunk Driving “Hero Award” in 2024.

But the same reporting later showed that many of those arrests became the subject of courtroom challenges and legal scrutiny. These allegations now bring his “Top Cop” title into question.

ABC7 reviewed more than 300 DUI prosecutions listing Kevin as the arresting officer since 2023 after obtaining court data from Cook County records.

According to the station’s investigation, 174 drivers were either found not guilty or had their cases dismissed before adjudication. Another 105 drivers were found guilty, though 96 of those convictions involved plea deals to lesser charges. At the time of the report, dozens of cases were still pending.

Attorney Christopher Smith said, “I can see the pattern and I can see why he gets these arrests, because he's pushing the envelope and taking down people who clearly shouldn't have been taken down for DUI.”

Attorney Brandon Brown, who represents two drivers arrested by Kevin, also questioned the arrests. “A number of motorists who have been arrested and charged with driving under the influence where either the case was dismissed or there's a finding of not guilty,” he said.

llinois State Police defended the arrests, saying in part, “A trooper makes an arrest when there is probable cause... Ultimately, it is up to the prosecutor to determine whether they can meet the threshold of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”

One of the lawsuits against Kevin involves driver Sherard Holland. He was arrested for DUI by Kevin and then later realized his MacBook was missing. After months, Sherard was found not guilty in a bench trial for all charges.

Using tracking technology, Sherard allegedly traced the laptop to Kevin's residence.

The station also referenced 911 call transcripts connected to the incident, which became part of the growing public scrutiny surrounding the allegations.

That detail pushed the controversy far beyond disputed DUI arrests alone and into questions involving evidence handling and credibility.

Sherard is one of three false DUI charge lawsuits against Kevin and the Illinois State Police.

Kevin and the state have denied wrongdoing.

DUI charges require the arresting officer to attend court, which leads to overtime pay. State records show in 2024, Kevin nearly tripled his salary, earning nearly $250,000 in one year.

That's more than the salary of the Illinois State Police director.

The lawsuits, combined with courtroom testimony and investigative reporting, have fueled growing public debate about whether his arrest numbers reflected aggressive policing, flawed investigations, or something more serious.

The story keeps raising bigger questions. A trooper once publicly honored for leading the state in DUI arrests is now facing lawsuits, courtroom scrutiny, and allegations tied to false arrests and evidence handling. What's really going on?