Former top cop accused of fraud : Feds say ex-chief in suburb misused helicopter funds

The Chicago Tribune reports:

Once president of the Illinois police chiefs association, a former suburban police chief has been indicted on multiple charges in the alleged misuse of more than $180,000 raised for a police helicopter program he ran.

The federal indictment of former Countryside Chief Timothy Swanson, announced Wednesday, comes 11/2 years after a Tribune investigation detailed numerous questionable actions by Swanson. Those included starting the program with a convicted felon and steering grant money to a side business they'd begun.

The indictment was the latest setback for a chief who'd been given a national policing award for starting the helicopter program, only to have questions of misconduct dog him for years, eventually leading to him leaving the chiefs association and his most recent job with the Kankakee County sheriff's office.

Swanson gained fame in area law enforcement circles in 2005 by campaigning for an area helicopter program to nab criminals and thwart terrorists.

Yet, many Democrats in Illinois think only police should owns guns.