Saturday, November 22, 2003
The civil service commission hearing Thursday may be postponed.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The city police chief says he will soon seek restitution from the city administration for filing what he believes are false administration charges against him.
Police Chief John Mandopoulos said Tuesday that he will file a lawsuit seeking "hundreds of thousands of dollars" from the mayor, safety-service director and human resource director.
"It is harassment," Mandopoulos said, referring to Mayor Hank Angelo's recommendation that he be suspended for 10 days without pay. He is appealing the mayor's decision.
In the mayor's eight-page recommendation, he found the chief guilty of gross neglect of duty, gross dereliction of duty, conduct unbecoming an officer and dishonesty in the performance of his duties.
Since the chief is a civil service employee, the appeal will be heard by the city's civil service commission. The commission must decide whether to accept the mayor's recommendation.
The CSC is scheduled to have a hearing on the matter at 8 a.m. Thursday, but it may be postponed because the chief's attorney will be out of town.
The mayor had a predisciplinary hearing for the chief Oct. 20. During that hearing, the chief was given the opportunity to present his side.
The hearing was conducted to determine if Mandopoulos should be disciplined for actions by him and officer Manny Nites on May 24 outside 77 Soul, a U.S. Route 422 nightclub, and for allegations that he intimidated a television reporter.
The chief has denied both allegations.
The chief has said he and Nites were only joking with a man who was videotaping them outside the popular nightclub. Nites can be heard calling the man a snitch. At one point on the tape, Nites is heard repeating vulgar words that were stated by a club patron.
"I was there on my own time," the chief said. "I was there because I care about the city. I have no problem disciplining Manny, but do I think it will hold up in arbitration? No. It won't because of the context of how he [Nites] said it."
The chief also criticized two community activists -- Ron White and Tom Conley -- who have asked that he be removed from office.
Mandopoulos said White, a former council member and a member of Parents Against Police Abuse, once asked him to fix a case.
Explanation
White says he did call the chief but only asked him for help in getting his son out of jail.
"My son was arrested for driving under suspension, and I just wanted to get him out so that he wouldn't have to spend the night in jail. I didn't ask for anything to be fixed," White said.
"I have nothing personal against John Mandopoulos -- I love the man -- but he isn't doing his job properly. He isn't disciplining his officers."
The chief asked what qualifications White or Conley, president of the Warren-Trumbull Urban League, have to know what makes a good police chief.
"I've tried to set up meetings with Mr. Conley, but he won't meet with me," Mandopoulos said. "I think it's time that someone start finding out what goes on inside the Urban League. What do they stand for? They get public money."
Conley said he has not refused to meet with the chief and has no record of Mandopoulos' asking for a meeting.
"I've been hearing rumors since March that the chief has threatened to attack my funding, but if that's what it takes to tell the truth, than so be it," Conley said.
"All we are asking is for the chief and the police officers to do their job properly. It appears that our lawyer will have to deal with him."
sinkovich@vindy.com