Candidate: Charge won't hurt my run

The candidate expects the last charge to be dropped.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- David J. Venerose Jr. doesn't figure an episode with Warren police will hurt his city council candidacy.
Instead, the Republican candidate in the 7th Ward says his resisting-arrest charge shows he is willing to help people.
"I'd be willing to help out anybody that comes to me," he said.
He also thinks that his complaint about police misconduct -- despite the officers' exoneration -- eventually will do some good.
Venerose, 32, of Brownlee Avenue, is to face Mark S. Memmer, who won the Democratic primary over appointed Councilman John Nittoli, and Thomas Rovnak, an independent, in the November general election.
Venerose pleaded innocent to the charge, which he expects to be dismissed in Warren municipal court by an Oct. 2 pretrial hearing. If not, a jury trial is scheduled for November.
Two other charges the police lodged after the June 22 episode at the department -- disorderly conduct and criminal trespass -- were dismissed.
"Eventually, I'll be vindicated," Venerose said.
His account
Venerose gives this account:
He went to the police station to pick up two friends who had been arrested. One friend said an officer punched him in the face.
Venerose asked a police dispatcher for a pencil and paper to record the name and badge number of the officer who was accused of hitting his friend. An officer grabbed Venerose to escort him out and pulled his arm behind his back, causing pain, so he pulled away. There was more pushing and the officer took him into custody.
Police said Venerose was belligerent and cursing and was warned several times to leave. Officers said he swung his arm at them, so they arrested him.
Venerose filed a complaint. He said he had the right to be in a public building and was not trespassing. He said asking for a pencil and paper wasn't disorderly conduct. And he said the officer accused him of resisting before even making the arrest.
"I couldn't believe this was happening to me," he said.
An internal-affairs investigator cleared the officers. He found that officers gave Venerose the chance to leave and he could have avoided the confrontation. The police chief and safety-service director concurred with the exoneration.
Not surprised
That doesn't surprise Venerose. Finding wrongdoing would force Warren police to admit there is a problem, he said.
Venerose said he had an obligation to seek the officers' name and badge number, which started the whole episode. He said he is embarrassed but is clean-cut and no troublemaker.
Venerose said his actions show he is willing to stand up for people when he feels they have been wronged. That's the hallmark of a good council member, he said.
Venerose expects some good to come from the episode and resulting complaint. The combination of his complaint -- despite the exoneration -- and others that recently accused Warren officers of misconduct eventually will result in change in the police department, he said.
Police have a hard job, but their actions were uncalled for, he said.
"That night, they made a mistake," he said.
rgsmith@vindy.com