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Highlands Today

Grimming in center of East St. Louis lawsuit

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By BRAD DICKERSON

Highlands Today

Published: November 8, 2009

EAST ST. LOUIS - Two former members of the city board claim Ron Grimming was passed over for the chief of police job because of the color of his skin, according to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report.

A federal lawsuit filed by Wyatt Frazer and Della Murphy alleges they were forced from the Police, Fire and Civil Service Board because they supported Grimming for the chief's job in 2007, the report stated.

The former Florida Highway Patrol commander's name and qualifications were not identified in the lawsuit, but the plaintiffs' lawyer said last Tuesday that the man in question was in fact Grimming, according to the report.

East St. Louis has a population that is 97.7 percent African-American, according to U.S. census records. The city is located in St. Clair County, Ill., just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Mo.

The lawsuit alleges that Mayor Alvin Parks told Frazer at that time he would not recommend the Board's candidate for the position because of the color of his skin, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Grimming was formerly a commander of the Illinois State Police before becoming the FHP's director in the mid 1990s.

On Oct. 1, 2007, Grimming filed to run for Highlands County Sheriff. That began a 13-month campaign that ended with him losing the race to incumbent Susan Benton.

Attempts to contact Grimming for comment were unsuccessful.

Highlands Today reporter Brad Dickerson can be reached at 863-386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com

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