The city of Champaign has permanently terminated police officer Matt Rush after two-and-a-half years of appeals and litigation. City Manager Dorothy David announced the $50,000 separation agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police at the conclusion of Tuesday's Champaign City Council meeting. Rush was twice fired by the city, and was the subject of multiple excessive force lawsuits, costing the city more than $300,000 in settlements.
Seon Williams of Champaign says the excessive force incidents involving officer Matt Rush, and resulting lawsuits have 'derailed' the progress the African-American community has made in improving relations with city police. He says the city deserves better officers on the street who make better decisions.
The city of Champaign Wednesday released two letters citing internal investigations regarding Officer Matt Rush. One cites Rush's 'disciplinary history and judgment in crisis situations', while the other documents the officer's alleged behavior in a local bar in late February. He's been the subject of four excessive force lawsuits, three of them resulting in $320-thousand in settlements.
Illinois' Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council says a reported internal investigation involving Champaign Police Officer Matt Rush, the subject of four excessive force lawsuits, is not related to his actions on duty. "It is a direct result of the intense negative publicity and inaccurate public statements stemming from his prior case," said General Counsel Tamara Cummings.
On Tuesday, Champaign County State's Attorney Julia Rietz announced she would not be filing criminal charges against Champaign Police Officer Matt Rush, the subject of multiple lawsuits alleging excessive force. The head of the U of I's Police Training Institute weighed in on the state's use of force measure.
