A Des Plaines police commander that retired three weeks ago announced he will run for McHenry County sheriff, the First Electric Newspaper reported last week. Bill Prim, of Cary, joined the list of candidates seeking the position in two years.

Prim also joined the list of top-level Des Plaines police officials to retired from the department in the last two years. Commanders, deputy chiefs and the police chief have made a mass exodus, and a new police chief was sworn in earlier this month.

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The Des Plaines Police Department and its officers are involved in a number of lawsuits. Two lawsuits claimed Des Plaines police beat handcuffed prisoners. A former deputy chief filed a lawsuit that claimed he was fired to cover up the brutality.

A complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission stated racial discrimination occurred in the department, and another lawsuit stated a former Des Plaines deputy chief split a marriage and spread lies about a former Des Plaines woman’s ex-husband.

Prim said none of the department’s problems had anything to do with him, First Electric Newspaper reported.

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