Kenvar Pujoe, a Chicago police officer who picked up extra shifts as a part-time security officer at Sullivan High School in Rogers Park, is under investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability after allegations that he engaged in inappropriate behavior with female students. Chicago Public Schools alerted Sullivan families to the probe earlier this year and removed him from his school role while the case is reviewed. Pujoe remains on active duty with the Chicago Police Department as the complaint moves through the system.
Oversight memo outlines alleged conduct
According to a memorandum from COPA interim chief administrator LaKenya White, reported by the Chicago Tribune, investigators received reports that Pujoe tried to arrange hotel rooms for students, drove students in his personal vehicle, and paid for manicures for female students. The memo also states he brought food to students' homes as late as 3:00 a.m. and attempted to take students to a downstate athletic competition they were not allowed to attend. COPA notes that school officials had already removed Pujoe from coaching duties over related concerns, even before the current investigation ramped up.
His role at Sullivan
Sullivan High School’s athletics page lists Kenvar Pujoe as a coach for boys' cross-country and track, documenting his involvement in the school’s extracurricular programs. Team rosters on the site place him on multiple track squads. Those public listings line up with the part-time school responsibilities that are now at the center of COPA’s inquiry.
Police oversight and department response
The Chicago Tribune reports that COPA has asked the Chicago Police Department to strip Pujoe of his policing powers while the complaint is investigated. CPD told the paper it does not comment on pending investigations, and Pujoe was reported to remain on active duty with the department even after being placed on unpaid administrative leave from his Sullivan High assignment. Public records cited by the Tribune indicate the COPA complaint is still pending.
Oversight context
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is Chicago's independent watchdog that investigates the most serious allegations of police misconduct - including sexual misconduct - and can recommend administrative discipline, according to the agency’s website. The Pujoe investigation lands as Chicago Public Schools faces broader scrutiny over misconduct by adults outside regular classroom hours. An Office of Inspector General report earlier this year described what it called a "systemic problem" of sexual misconduct at another CPS high school, as reported by NBC Chicago. Those findings have intensified calls for tighter screening and oversight of adults who work with students in sports and other extracurricular activities.
What comes next
COPA investigators are expected to continue gathering statements and evidence before issuing findings or recommendations. Any conclusions can spark administrative action under CPD’s investigative rules, including potential discipline or review by the Police Board, as described on the department’s website. For now, both the oversight agency and the school district say the complaint remains under review, and no criminal charges have been announced.
