WARREN Chief has hearing on proposed suspension

The hearing was held behind closed doors.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Civil service commission members hope to decide by the end of the month if Police Chief John Mandopoulos should have to serve a 10-day suspension.
Atty. James Fredericka, a commission member, said the CSC plans to meet Dec. 30 in executive session to discuss the matter.
"I'm hoping we will have a statement sometime shortly after that meeting," Fredericka said.
The commission met for nearly eight hours Monday listening to the chief's defense. He is represented by Atty. Dennis Haines.
The chief declined to comment on the matter after the hearing, which was held behind closed doors.
The commission listened to the city's side during a five-hour session Dec. 8.
Mayor Hank Angelo has recommended that the chief be given a 10-day suspension.
Mandopoulos has been administratively charged with gross neglect of duty, gross dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming an officer.
Events leading to charges
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 has said that he didn't consider the matter a joke.
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.
sinkovich@vindy.com