BELLEVILLE - A day after six Metro East police officers and a former police dispatcher were charged with official misconduct, St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly announced "Operation Enemy Within," a sprawling law enforcement initiative to prosecute bad cops.

"If people can't trust law enforcement, then there is no law and we are all endangered," Kelly said in a news conference today, flanked by various police leaders.

The operation is part of a joint effort with federal authorities to investigate allegations of police misconduct.

On Wednesday, six officers and a former dispatcher from St. Clair County were accused of an array of crimes including a forced sexual encounter with a woman, state benefit fraud and theft.

Three of the police officers work for Alorton. The other officers work for Washington Park, Fairview Heights and Belleville. The former dispatcher worked for East St. Louis.

All of the official misconduct charges, filed in St. Clair County Circuit Court, are felonies.

Kelly said he decided to pursue the cases when he took office last year.

"At some point a line had to be drawn," he said.

Kelly said Wednesday the arrests were part of an ongoing "public integrity operation." It was unclear whether the incidents are connected or whether they were simply a part of investigations focused on public corruption.

Those arrested are:

* Alorton Officer Harry Halter, 51, of Cahokia, charged with one count of official misconduct. Halter is accused of pulling a woman over while he was off duty. He allegedly persuaded the woman to perform oral sex on him to avoid being charged with driving with a suspended license. Court records state Halter had been drinking at the time of the incident.

* Belleville Officer Sean Harris, 31, of the 2100 block of Southern Oaks Circle in Belleville and a five-year veteran of the department. Harris is charged with battery and official misconduct stemming from an encounter with a man in June. The battery charge is a misdemeanor.

* Former East St. Louis dispatcher Shantez Lockett, 35, of East St. Louis. She is charged with two counts of official misconduct and one count each of aiding a fugitive, obstructing justice and obstructing a peace officer.

* Washington Park Officer Jeffrey Waters, 60, of Jerseyville, charged with one count of official misconduct and one count of theft. According to court documents, Waters is accused of stealing nine ballistics vests, valued at less than $500 total.

* Alorton Officer Larry Greenlee, 39, of Belleville, charged with one count each of official misconduct and state benefit fraud greater than $300.

* Alorton Officer and former East St. Louis Officer Beverly Miles, 39, of Fairview Heights, charged with one count each of official misconduct and state benefit fraud.

* Fairview Heights Officer Tina Presson, 43, of O'Fallon, Ill., charged with one count each of official misconduct and theft.

All seven were booked into the St. Clair County Jail on Wednesday and released on bond, according to jail officials.

Few details were released Wednesday in any of the cases, except the one against Harris. In that case, Capt. Don Sax said a Belleville man, Mark Bush, 55, filed a complaint against the officer on June 14 and that Harris has been on "in station" duty since then.

According to a probable cause statement filed with the St. Clair County Circuit Court, Harris dealt with Bush in an "insulting and provoking nature" and then "approached and shoved" him.

Bush and his wife, Lee Ann Bush, 56, said they called police June 14 to report harassing phone calls. They claimed Harris refused to take their report, used vulgar language with them and started to leave.

The Bushes said that when they followed him outside their home to request a police supervisor to take the report and asked for Harris' name, Harris grabbed Mark Bush by the neck and threw him to the sidewalk.

They said they did not provoke or touch Harris.

Mark Bush said the attack triggered seizures from a prior medical condition and left cuts and bruises. His medical bills are approaching $30,000, Lee Ann Bush said.

They said they have a digital audio recording of the incident that they gave to police.

"If I did what he did, (police) would have put me in jail and charged me with a felony," Mark Bush said. "This guy shouldn't be on the police force. I know some of the guys on the police force and they're good guys. This isn't one of them."

Mark Bush said he was relieved that charges were filed Wednesday, but he thought it should not have taken three months.

Harris posted 10 percent of $20,000 bail and remains on duty inside the Belleville police station only, police said.