NILES Judicial ruling sought on police matter

Union officials have contended that patrol officers are being excluded from special duty assignments.
WARREN -- A judge will soon decide if Niles city officials failed to abide by a portion of their contract with police officers.
Niles officials filed a lawsuit Monday against the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association asking a judge to vacate an arbitrator's ruling. The suit is assigned to Judge Andrew Logan.
The suit says an arbitrator ruled in July that the city violated a portion of the police department's contract by failing to comply with past practices when it came to posting job assignments for detective and for the community-oriented policing.
The ruling states that the city must appoint the most qualified patrol officer to the special post.
Union officials have contended that patrol officers are being excluded from special duty assignments.
City officials, however, note that according to state law the chief of police has exclusive control in the "stationing and transfer" of all patrol officers and that the chief should not have to fill detective and COPS positions.
Arbitrator's ruling
According to the arbitrator's ruling, Bruce Simeone, the city's police chief, said that when he took over as chief, the department did have several special duty assignments, including detective work and the COPS program.
Simeone, however, said that he wanted to put more patrol officers on the street so he eliminated some special-duty assignments.
Simeone said the detective work is now being performed by three captains. Simeone also said that Patrol Officer James Robbins is at times assigned to investigations and is a COPS officer.