DeKALB – Ousted Northern Illinois University Police Chief Donald Grady told university officials Feb. 3 that he thought race had been a factor in his punishment.

After a pre-termination meeting with university officials on Feb. 1, Grady wrote a letter to university officials in which he pointed out differences in the way he was treated during the discipline process compared with white employees who were indicted in the "coffee fund" case.

Grady, who was fired Tuesday for his department's mishandling of a rape case against one of his own officers, said in his letter there were "clear disparities" between the treatment of the eight employees charged with felonies in the "coffee fund" case compared to officials swift decision to place him and Lt. Kartik Ramakrishnan – who is Asian – on paid administrative leave.