Sunday, June 22, 2003
GIRARD -- No police officers will be disciplined as the result of a woman taking a knife into a city jail cell.
Capt. Frank Bigowsky said Wednesday officers "breached a little bit of policy" by not adequately searching 21-year-old Stephanie Romeo of East Broadway Street after her June 5 arrest.
Her trial is pending in municipal court on charges of carrying a concealed weapon, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, resisting arrest and menacing.
Usually, a female police officer will search a woman in custody, but one was not on duty. Bigowsky said a metal detector was available, but not used.
Police Chief Anthony Ross and Bigowsky said activity was "hectic" at police headquarters and only two officers were on duty when Romeo was arrested.
Romeo remains free on a $2,500 bond.
According to a police report, she went to the East Broadway home of Kenneth Diernback, who called police when she wouldn't leave.
Police reported Romeo became verbally abusive toward them and threatened to kill them.
After her arrest, police spotted her pulling the knife from her pants on a surveillance camera in the cell.