A South Bend cop who once faced domestic battery charges will soon hear if he'll recoup lost pay.

Wayne Boocher is a 16-year veteran of the police force.

After charges were filed, he was suspended without pay for a year and a half.

Boocher was arrested in a Target parking lot almost two years ago.

At the time, his wife said he hit her in the face in front of their kids.

But the charges were later dropped, after she said that wasn't true.

She told a judge earlier this year that she was hurt reaching for her cell phone in her car.

Boocher’s family accompanied him to a Board of Public Safety hearing Tuesday morning, where he attempted to recoup his lost wages from the city.

Attorneys planned to call almost two dozen witnesses, and resolve the matter today.

In fact, it looked like it would be such a large ordeal, the hearing was moved to council chambers.

But after nearly an hour recess, the two sides announced they would try to resolve the matter privately.

"We've discussed the issues and we want to do what's fair under these circumstances. I think it's in everybody's best interest, the city's and the Boocher family, to try to resolve the case amicably and move forward," said Spencer Walton, Boocher’s attorney.

Both sides left the meeting, saying they hoped to have a decision by the end of day. But Tuesday afternoon the city said that wasn't likely.

Now, an answer is expected in a matter of days

This ordeal started when Boocher was arrested in January 2007 and the charges weren't dropped until this past June.

The board of public safety held a hearing earlier this month that was continued until Tuesday's hearing, which was continued indefinitely.

If the matter isn’t resolved privately, it could go back to the Board of Public Safety.