Troup meets with Police and Fire Commission, Cheyne says Yates appointment is ‘done deal’

QUINCY — As Muddy River News first reported on Dec. 30, Quincy Mayor Mike Troup wants an investigation into the process of how Quincy Police Chief Adam Yates became chief.

The Police and Fire Commission met Tuesday morning and Troup attended the meeting. The commission went into executive session for about 20 minutes and Troup was involved in that part of the meeting.

The issue was not brought up during Tuesday night’s Quincy City Council meeting.

Muddy River News Editor David Adam spoke with Police and Fire Commission Chairman Barry Cheyne after the meeting.

CHEYNE: In the big picture, no, nothing’s changed. The mayor is still trying to flush out these requirements for the investigation.

ADAM: What requirements are those?  

CHEYNE: I don’t know. I haven’t seen them. With the Illinois State’s Attorney’s prosecutor office as to whether they’re going to accept the investigation and who’s paying for it, I think all those details are being worked out by the city. We still stand by that (three-year appointment for Yates). We don’t see any change there.

ADAM: You feel that this is a done deal?

CHEYNE: Right. We’ve signed a letter that says the commission has appointed (Yates) to a three-year term.

ADAM: What do you know about the investigation and what’s being investigated? 

CHEYNE: I only know what I’ve read in your news article. I assume at some point, the overarching matter deals with the police chief selection process, and that would be a fire and police commission responsibility.

ADAM: Are you happy with the way that the process went?

CHEYNE: Well, it was a coordinated process. I didn’t like how certain entities played the process, but I think from a broad standpoint, it was a very fair process with a lot of input and a lot of community involvement and views from the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. I think it was a very holistic search process.