BAZETTA Firing of police chief is illegal, lawyer says

The former chief plans to fight his termination.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
BAZETTA -- The firing of the township police chief was illegal, an attorney says.
Robert Jacola, 56, chief here for 10 years, has been off work for a year because of a work-related injury.
"This is wrong and illegal and we will vigorously fight it," said Atty. Bob Shaker, Jacola's legal counsel.
The news of the firing was delivered to Jacola by the press.
"I had no clue," Jacola said.
Trustees' vote
Trustees voted Monday to fire Jacola and promote Capt. Chuck Sayers to chief. Sayers has been acting chief since last April.
"I hadn't heard from Bob in 13 months," said Trustee Bill Glancy, when asked why he didn't call Jacola about the firing. "I voted to fire him because we need a chief. We need someone to lead us."
Atty. Mark Finamore, township legal counsel, could not be reached.
The firing also surprised Shaker, who said trustees voted in January to rehire Jacola.
Glancy, however, said he doesn't think that's the case, but the township clerk confirmed this morning that Jacola was rehired in January.
Sayers, 36, declined to discuss his former chief's firing. He did say he will do his best to lead the township.
"I knew they were going to appoint me as chief a few days ago, so it wasn't a big surprise," Sayers said.
He will continue at his $45,000 annual salary.
Sayers has been with the department since 1985. He was promoted to sergeant in October 1989 and to captain in 1998.
sinkovich@vindy.com