Cop resigns amid allegations

The officer admits arguing with his girlfriend but denies hitting her.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A city police officer hired in May resigned last week amid allegations that he abused a pregnant girlfriend.
Lloyd Cain of East Ravenwood Avenue is accused of punching his live-in girlfriend in the mouth and stomach and kicking her in the stomach Oct. 5 as the two fought over another woman, police reports show. He denied the accusations.
Cain resigned for personal reasons Tuesday, four days after the attack allegedly occurred, Police Chief Richard Lewis said. He had been appointed May 11 and was still on probation.
Lewis said the woman's complaint is being investigated by the department's crisis intervention unit. He said he expects the investigation to be completed sometime next week when investigators will confer with the prosecutor's office.
Woman's account: The woman told police she had been living with Cain for about a month and was carrying his child, police reports show. She said the argument began during a party at the East Ravenwood address and everyone was asked to leave.
She said the physical altercation began when Cain pushed and punched her and she pushed and punched back. She said she kicked his groin and he kicked her stomach saying, "Now you can have an abortion," police reports show.
She told police Cain took phones away from her and locked her in a bedroom, saying, "You can't call the police because I'm the police." She said she escaped and called her father in Illinois from a nearby pay phone.
Cain showed up at the phone with her belongings and said he was taking her to her Akron apartment. He dropped her off at I-680 and Meridian Road.
Father called police: Police were informed of the alleged assault when the woman's father, a military sergeant, phoned the department from Illinois, according to reports. They went to Cain's residence to investigate. While officers were there, the woman called from a pay phone on Meridian Road. They picked her up there and interviewed her.
Cain told police that he argued with the woman but that there was no physical assault.
Lewis said potential city officers are scrutinized and a criminal background check is performed before each hiring.
He also said Cain surrendered his service weapon upon resigning. Further, a protection order was served on Cain that would have required him to turn over any other deadly weapons he might own. Lewis said he did not know if Cain had turned over any other weapons.