Dante Servin resigns from Chicago Police Department

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Dante Servin, the off-duty officer who fatally shot Rekia Boyd in 2012, has resigned from the Chicago Police Department two days before a hearing that may have resulted in him being fired from the force was set to begin.

"Today the Police Board was informed that Dante Servin resigned his employment with the Chicago Police Department," CPB director Max Caproni said in a written statement. The move comes two days before an evidentiary hearing addressing various charges against the former cop was set to begin.

"It is the Board's understand that given the resignation, counsel for the Superintendent will follow normal procedure and file a motion with the Board seeking to withdraw all charges against Servin without prejudice," Caproni's statement continued.

Chicago Police Department officials said Servin's official status will be "resigned under investigation" and he will not be eligible for his law enforcement credentials.

"Officer Servin's full actions resulted in termination charges and an unthinkable loss for a Chicago family. On behalf of the CPD I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Rekia Boyd and reaffirm this Department's commitment to the highest levels of professional standards by policing and holding ourselves accountable for wrongdoing," Supt. Eddie Johnson said in a statement.

The Cook County State's Attorney's office said it had no comment on word of Servin's resignation.

Not everyone is fully satisfied with Servin's decision to resign.

"A part of me wanted to see justice dispensed. See him sanctioned for what he did. He took a life that was under his purview," said Ald. Roderick Sawyer, 6th Ward.

Black Youth Project 100, a Chicago activist group that has been very vocal in the efforts to get Servin fired, said his resignation is "a relief" but decried the move as "indicative of an unsurprising tactic by Servin to escape accountability."

Black Youth Project 100 further called on the city to revoke Servin's pension, writing in a statement: "Dante Servin will still receive a pension that is paid for by us Chicagoans; this is unacceptable. We must now pressure the Chicago City Council to prohibit Servin from receiving a pension (from a city that claims to lack financial resources) for the murder of Rekia Boyd - a daughter, a sister, and a human being."

Servin was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the death of Boyd in April 2015. In September the Independent Police Review Authority recommended he be fired for her death. In November, then-Superintendent Garry McCarthy agreed with IPRA's recommendation and said Servin had shown "incredibly poor judgement."

The shooting happened in Douglas Park, which is close to Servin's home. He had told two couples at the park to keep the noise down. Harsh words were exchanged.

Servin said he saw one of the men pull out what he believed was a handgun and approached his car. The officer then fired five shots from inside his car at the group of people. The gun Servin said he saw was never recovered from the scene.

One of the bullets hit Boyd in the back of her head. She died the next day.

The city settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Boyd's family for $4.5 million, but admitted no liability.