Springfield Police Department’s most
controversial officer, Lt. Rickey Davis, has been transferred out of the
detective bureau to patrol. Davis is a plaintiff in two separate federal
race discrimination lawsuits and past president of the Black Guardians
Association. His attorney, Courtney Cox, says Davis was called into a
meeting with Deputy Chief Bill Rouse and Deputy Chief Mike Geiger Tuesday
afternoon and told he was being reassigned to patrol. “He wasn’t given an answer as to why this
was happening,” Cox says. “I think it’s retaliatory against Rickey.
As you know, the [Black Guardians’] case is pretty hot and heavy
right now,” Cox says. However, city officials say the action may have more
to do with the problems plaguing SPD’s investigations division. Two
detectives are on administrative leave while Illinois State Police
investigates administrative and criminal allegations against them. As the
lieutenant assigned to the major case unit, Davis supervised these two
detectives. Davis was originally told he would be assigned to
third watch, Cox says, but pointed out that seniority should allow him to
pick his shift. “I think they’ve come back and said he can work
second shift,” Cox says.
This article appears in Mar 9-15, 2006.
