A DeKalb Police officer who was charged Aug. 20 with driving under the influence of alcohol was fired Thursday.

DeKalb Police officer Jerry Christensen drove his car into a tree on Genoa Road in Genoa. The accident injured Christensen and his two passengers.

Christensen was suspended without pay Sept. 19.

“It was difficult to fire him. He was terminated as per the police chief’s request,” said Richard Anderson, chair of the DeKalb Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.

Christensen admitted to the board that he had been drinking and driving. “Officer Jerry Christensen stipulated the fact that he was driving under the influence of alcohol in violation of chapter 95 1/2, Section 11-501-A2 of the Illinois Revised Statutes,” Anderson said.

The four-year member of the DeKalb Police Department “had engaged in conduct off-duty which has the tendency to destroy the public respect of the employee, the department and the confidence in the operation of municipal services,” Anderson said.

DeKalb Police Chief Don Berke refused comment, and City Attorney Ron Matekaitis could not be reached for comment.

Anderson said this was the first time a DeKalb Police officer had been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.