THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2007

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Law Firm Decision?

City officials are hoping to finalize a date when the last meeting with a law firm interested in conducting an investigation of the police department can be conducted.

According to Mayor Howard Frimark, a decision may be made by the end of this week. In the meantime, said City Manager Tim Schuenke, efforts are continuing to be made by the city to address problems within the department. The purpose of hiring an outside law firm is to determine whether accusations about the department are valid. A three-person committee headed by Frimark has interviewed six law firms interested in probing whether complaints have merit. Once a firm is hired, it will take approximately 45 days to conduct its review.

In recent months, several accusations have surfaced about the department including the filing of a lawsuit in late October accusing Park Ridge police officers of abusing a local teenager.

Police Chief Jeff Caudill has said nothing about the probe or accusations. Caudill has been with the department since 1977 having risen through the ranks. In March of 2008 he will have logged in 31 years on the job. Being more than 50-years-old and having more than 20 years on the job allows Caudill to retire if he wishes. His current annual base salary is $129,917.