Diverse Docket: Former Campus Police Chief Gets Green Light

Northern Illinois University fired Donald Grady for failure to “appropriately supervise” the campus police department.The former campus police chief at Northern Illinois University can pursue claims that he was fired because he is African-American and was targeted for retaliation for complaining about racial discrimination and investigating corruption within the administration, a federal judge has ruled.

NIU denies any wrongdoing and contends it fired Donald Grady because his office mishandled evidence in a sexual assault investigation.

U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber turned down a request by NIU to dismiss the case without a trial.

In November 2011, a student reported to the NIU Police Department that a campus police officer had raped her. The officer, who asserted that the sexual encounter was consensual, was indicted on sexual assault charges, according to the decision.

A sergeant working on the investigation failed to provide statements by two witnesses to the prosecutor’s office for disclosure to the officer’s defense lawyers. The statements were favorable to the officer.

The prosecutor issued a press release that denounced the NIU Police Department for jeopardizing the criminal case.

The university suspended and then terminated Grady for failure to “appropriately supervise” the department. A grievance committee upheld the termination.