WARREN Police chief's hearing cut short, to pick up in week

The city will finish presenting its case, and then the chief will give his defense.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Civil service commission members still have not heard Police Chief John Mandopoulos defend himself against allegations of misconduct.
The chief's disciplinary hearing was Monday in the commission's meeting room but was adjourned at 2:30 p.m. because one of the members had a prior commitment.
The hearing will continue at 8 a.m. Dec. 15, officials said.
At that time, the city will finish presenting its case, and then the chief will be able to provide his defense. He is represented by Atty. Dennis Haines.
The chief declined to comment. He has said he plans to call more than 10 witnesses.
The hearing, which was held behind closed doors, lasted about five hours.
Mandopoulos has been administratively charged with gross neglect of duty, gross dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming an officer.
The mayor has recommended that the chief be given a 10-day suspension. The civil service commission, after listening to both sides, will decide if the mayor's recommendation should be affirmed.
Allegations
During the hearing, the mayor, safety-service director, two television reporters, and Charles Adams, a city resident who taped the actions of the chief and another police officer outside of a black night club, testified.
The administrative charges stem from actions by the chief and officer Manny Nites on May 24 outside 77 Soul, a U.S. Route 422 nightclub and from allegations that the chief intimidated a television reporter.
The chief has said he and Nites were only joking with Charles Adams, the man who was videotaping the parking lot for the owner of 77 Soul.
Adams testified Monday. He was inside the hearing room for more than an hour.
"They asked me how I felt when I was doing the video tape, and I said I feared for my life," Adams said. "This was not a joke to me. The chief is not my friend."
The tape shows the chief and Nites giving a close-up view of their eyeballs. Nites can also be heard on the tape telling patrons that Adams is "snitching people." Nites is also heard saying vulgar words and a racial slur.
Nites has not been disciplined.
The other part of the administrative charges deal with a letter sent to city officials from Atty. Stephen T. Bolton, who represents WFMJ TV 21. The letter states that Mandopoulos confronted reporter Michelle Nicks about several issues, including the 77 Soul videotape.
The letter says the chief told Nicks he was going to give the home addresses of local journalists to drug dealers and was going to get area labor unions to organize a boycott of businesses that advertise with WFMJ and The Vindicator. The chief has denied those allegations.
Nicks and Melissa Mack, a reporter from WYTV Channel 33, who overheard part of Nicks' conversation with the chief, also testified.
sinkovich@vindy.com