Don Grady

Former Northern Illinois University Police Chief Don Grady has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the university's board of trustees. It comes a year after his firing. The Daily Chronicle reports the suit wants Grady to be reinstated with back pay and receive a public apology. 

The Daily Chronicle: Grady Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Against NIU

Don Grady is still fighting his dismissal as NIU's police chief. Earlier this year, the university fired Grady amid a department scandal. Top officials were accused of mishandling evidence in a rape case against a former officer.

There have been several new faces around campus this year, including a new president, athletic director, and now police chief. 

Tom Phillips will start the job Sept. 16th.  Phillips has been deputy chief with the University of Chicago Police Department.

NIU President Doug Baker made the announcement Wednesday morning.

Phillips served in the Military Police Corps between 1987 and 1995 before moving to Chicago, where he briefly served as a special investigator for the City of Chicago’s Office of the Inspector General.

Police Chief Don Grady continued to draw a salary after he was placed on leave in November.  His salary at the time was around $205,987.92. Grady and another officer were accused of withholding evidence in a sexual assault case. The charges for that case were initially dropped, but have been re-filed.

The lawyer representing former NIU police chief Don Grady calls the decision to fire his client "unjust action." This week, the university dismissed Grady on the heels of misconduct allegations within the campus police department.

A former campus police officer is suing the NIU Board of Trustees and Police Chief Don Grady. Andrew Rifkin filed the lawsuit Jan. 22 in DeKalb County. Rifkin was charged in 2011 with sexually assaulting a student. Those charges were later dropped.