Ill. Chief Fired for Mishandling Officer's Sexual Assault Case

Authorities at Northern Illinois University (NIU) placed the college's police chief on paid leave and banned him indefinitely from the department on Saturday due to allegations of misconduct.

On Nov. 1, a DeKalb County judge accused Donald Grady and his department of misconduct in its investigation of an alleged sexual assault by one of its officers, Andrew Rifkin, reports the Chicago Tribune. The judge ruled that the department intentionally withheld key evidence that could have cleared Rifkin. Reportedly, Grady and another NIU officer did not share statements with prosecutors taken by two witnesses who said that Rifkin's alleged victim told them that the sex was consensual.

Since 2001, Grady has served as the head of NIU's police force; this is his third leave since becoming police chief. Deputy Chief Darren Mitchell will lead the department until the university names a new police chief.