Sep 15, 2006 8:55 am US/Central
Melrose Park Police Chief Retires Amid Scandal
Village: Retirement Is Not Connected To Federal Investigation
MELROSE PARK, Ill. (CBS) ―
The police chief of
Melrose Park has retired, amid a federal investigation.
Vito Scavo has been chief of police in the near western suburb for 12 years, and has served as a police officer there for 30.
In a news release, Melrose Park mayor
Ron Serpico said crime had gone down significantly during Scavo's tenure.
"Between 1994 and 2005 crime has gone down in almost every category in Melrose Park," Serpico said in the release. "We are a safer community and a more prosperous community today and a good measure of that credit must go to Chief Scavo."
But Scavo has been under investigation on allegations that he shook down businesses to hire his private security firm.
A Melrose Park spokesman said the federal investigation was not a factor in Scavo's retirement.
"Chief Scavo decided to retire after 30 years of service, and is no way connected to any type of federal investigation," said Melrose Park village spokesman Gary Mack.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
