Second chance to be civil

Life offers so few second chances that it's a shame to pass one up. But the Newton Falls Civil Service Commission did just that last week when it voted once again -- this time in a public meeting as required by law -- to overturn the 30-day suspension of police Sgt. James Zimomra.
Zimomra is the police officer captured on a videotape striking a woman in the head after she disregarded his order to lie flat on the ground. He can also be heard addressing her as "bitch."
Nothing wrong with that, according to the civil service commission. Nothing wrong either with Zimomra's failure to properly restrain the woman, with his failure to turn on the videotape in his own cruiser or with his violation of a department policy that prohibits striking a suspect in the head unless the officer himself is in clear danger.
Action overturned
Police Chief Robert Carlson had suspended Zimomra for 30 days for violating department policy. The civil service commission overturned the suspension, but did so in an unannounced, closed meeting. Commission members were forced to schedule a new meeting and to take the vote in public.
In the meantime, the Trumbull County grand jury indicted Zimomra for aggravated assault, and refused to indict the woman he arrested on charges of assaulting a police officer.
That didn't matter to the civil service commission. It overturned the suspension in a second vote.
And now, Zimomra's fellow officers are rallying around him, claiming that it is unfair to judge him for what he felt he had to do in the heat of the moment.
Nonsense. Everyone -- police officers, soldiers, private citizens alike -- can and must be judged on their actions. The pictures and sound captured on the videotape portray an officer acting in an unprofessional and brutal manner. It would be irresponsible to ignore evidence of such wrong-doing.