Clinton Twp. cop fired, charged with illegally looking up info in police database

A fired Clinton Township police officer has been charged with illegally looking up a license plate on a police-only system, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.

Officer John Hreno, 36, allegedly used the Law Enforcement Information Network improperly in August 2022 to look up a license plate that was never a focus of a police investigation in Clinton Township. A Michigan State Police audit turned up the issue.

"There was allegedly no valid law enforcement reason to run the license plate," according to a press release from the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.

Clinton Township Police Chief Dina Caringi sent The News a press release saying Hreno was fired after an "off-duty incident." Caringi did not respond for further comment about what the off-duty incident was.

"As a result of the complaint, the Police Department conducted a thorough and extensive investigation into the officer’s on-duty and off-duty conduct," according to the press release. "The investigation uncovered substantial violations of departmental rules, policies, directives, and the Michigan compiled laws resulting in the officer’s termination of employment."

Hreno's attorney, Douglas Gutscher, had no comment.

Hreno was arraigned Monday for a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized disclosure of LEIN information, a 93-day misdemeanor, and was released on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond.

"It is not only our duty but our obligation to ensure that the law applies equally to all, regardless of profession or position. No shield can protect one from the consequences of violating that trust, for in our pursuit of justice, no one stands above the law," Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido said in a statement.

kberg@detroitnews.com