DEKALB, Ill. – Northern Illinois University’s (NIU) police station was searched by the FBI on March 6 for at least eight hours.
NIU issued the following statement regarding the raid:
“Personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Illinois State Police and others are on campus today executing a search warrant related to an ongoing investigation.
“The university is cooperating fully in this matter.
“According to the FBI, the activity is NOT in response to any public safety concerns, and during the execution of the warrant the public safety functions of the department of police and public safety are continuing uninterrupted.”
Last month the school fired its police chief Donald Grady following allegations that the chief mishandled a sexual assault case.
Grady was placed on paid leave in the wake of a case against former NIU officer Andrew Rifkin, who was charged with sexually assaulting a student. Witnesses testified that Rifkin and the student had a consensual relationship, which is against department policy. Although the statements were placed in Rifkin’s personnel file, they were never submitted to the DeKalb County State’s Attorney.
A few days after Grady’s dismissal, however, charges against Rifkin were reinstated.
Also, the attorney for the former chief told the Associated Press on Wednesday that an investigation Grady launched into the sale of university-owned scrap metal may have contributed to his firing.
When contacted about the raid, Grady indicated he hadn’t been contacted by the FBI.
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