White candidate not chosen for police chief position because of his race. I wonder if the ACLU is going to sue on his behalf? -Ed.<br /><br />EAST ST. LOUIS – City officials seeking a new police chief passed up the former director of the Florida Highway Patrol, who formerly was a top commander of the Illinois State Police, because he is white, two former members of a city board claim.
<br /><br />Wyatt Frazer and Della Murphy allege in a federal lawsuit that they were forced off the Police, Fire and Civil Service Board for their advocacy of a white candidate when the chief’s job was open in 2007.
Their lawyer said Tuesday the spurned candidate was Ronald Grimming, a Metro East resident who rose to be deputy superintendent of the State Police before taking the top spot in Florida in 1993. Grimming could not be reached for comment.
<br /><br />The suit against Mayor Alvin Parks, City Manager Robert Betts and the city itself does not identify Grimming by name or qualifications.
But the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Thomas E. Kennedy III, said it was Grimming, and that Parks told his clients "the city wasn’t ready to hire a white police chief.<br /><br />http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/laworder/story/9250F6CB3C607A998625765D000312CC?OpenDocument