Algonquin police chief's pneumonia improving

Algonquin Police Chief Russell Laine is edging out of the woods when it comes to his month-long battle against double pneumonia, a family spokesman said Wednesday.

Doctors have seen vast improvement in the police chief's condition over the past four days, said Ignacio "Joe" Pena, a spokesman for the Laine family.

Laine, Algonquin's police chief for 23 years, had been fighting complications that stemmed from the lung infection almost since the beginning.

Those issues have finally subsided and now the real treatment can begin, Pena said.

"I think we've rounded the corner and headed up to get-wellville," Pena said.

Laine, 57, checked himself into Sherman Hospital on April 15 to find out the source of a persistent cough.

He remains hospitalized within the hospital's intensive care unit and it is not clear when doctors will give him the OK to return home, Pena said.

Laine is highly regarded in Algonquin and belongs to many affiliations -- he is past president of the Illinois Association of Police Chiefs and first vice president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Ever since the news broke about the ailing chief, the police station has received phone calls from around the country inquiring about him, said Deputy Chief Ed Urban, who, with Deputy Chief Steve Kuzynowski, is handling the department in Laine's absence.

The station also receives between three and five get-well-soon cards every day for the veteran chief, Urban said. Those too, come from different parts of America.

"A lot of people are concerned out there and a lot of people do have him in their thoughts and prayers," Urban said.

• Please address all get well cards to: Algonquin Police Department; Chief of Police Russell Laine; 2200 Harnish Drive; Algonquin, IL 60102