No Answers on Papis Payout; Interim Chief Criticized in Last Job
By: Blake Long
Updated: May 2, 2012
EAST PEORIA - East Peoria is under the watch of a new top cop.
Police Chief Ed Papis' early retirement took effect Wednesday. Papis has a separation agreement with the city that includes a pay-out of $125,000.
It also includes health care for he and his wife for the rest of their lives, so long as they pay the same monthly premiums as other employees.
Papis' retirement follows a recent investigation into racial profiling at the East Peoria police department, but leaders say it turned up no wrongdoing. We asked city leaders why Papis is getting such a big payout, but they wouldn't comment. Papis had been chief since 2002.
The man named interim East Peoria Police chief received a lot of criticism in his last job.
R.T. Finney retired from the Champaign Police Department last year. In 2009, Finney was involved in a shooting that killed a fifteen-year-old Champaign boy. An investigation cleared him of wrongdoing.
Then last August, the Champaign City Council received an e-mail purportedly from Champaign police officers accusing Finney of unfairly promoting officers to higher ranks. Finney retired shortly after the e-mail became public, but at the time, he said the e-mail didn't factor into his decision.
East Peoria mayor Dave Mingus says the city was aware of this when it appointed Finney. But Mingus says Finney's outstanding record makes him the perfect choice. He says Finney is only temporary and will not become the permanent police chief.
Police Chief Ed Papis' early retirement took effect Wednesday. Papis has a separation agreement with the city that includes a pay-out of $125,000.
It also includes health care for he and his wife for the rest of their lives, so long as they pay the same monthly premiums as other employees.
Papis' retirement follows a recent investigation into racial profiling at the East Peoria police department, but leaders say it turned up no wrongdoing. We asked city leaders why Papis is getting such a big payout, but they wouldn't comment. Papis had been chief since 2002.
The man named interim East Peoria Police chief received a lot of criticism in his last job.
R.T. Finney retired from the Champaign Police Department last year. In 2009, Finney was involved in a shooting that killed a fifteen-year-old Champaign boy. An investigation cleared him of wrongdoing.
Then last August, the Champaign City Council received an e-mail purportedly from Champaign police officers accusing Finney of unfairly promoting officers to higher ranks. Finney retired shortly after the e-mail became public, but at the time, he said the e-mail didn't factor into his decision.
East Peoria mayor Dave Mingus says the city was aware of this when it appointed Finney. But Mingus says Finney's outstanding record makes him the perfect choice. He says Finney is only temporary and will not become the permanent police chief.
