TRUMBULL COUNTY Cop is disciplined for holding licenses

The suspension is without pay and is set to begin April 12, the chief said.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A patrol officer who failed to return 15 driver's licenses to people he stopped for traffic offenses has been suspended for three days.
The discipline for Joseph Kistler was issued Friday, 10 days after an administrative hearing before Police Chief John Mandopoulos.
The chief said Kistler failed to obey an order to return the licenses.
"You stated that the licenses were being held by you in case they were needed during your appeal," Mandopoulos stated in the letter. "I fail to see the logic in that response. You had since Jan. 21 to return the items, but you have failed to do so."
The chief said the suspension is without pay and will begin April 12.
The chief issued a three-day suspension to Kistler in January for initially failing to return the licenses. An agreement worked out with city officials and Kistler on that discipline states that the three-day unpaid suspension will be held in abeyance for two years.
Still had licenses in March
In January, Kistler also was ordered to return the licenses. When officials found out in March that they still had not been returned, he was charged again for violating that order.
Atty. Randall Weltman, who represents Kistler, said his client plans to appeal the suspension.
"It's a misunderstanding," Weltman said. "We were appealing the original discipline and the licenses were not returned while we were trying to resolve the matter."
Some of the licenses had been in Kistler's possession for close to a year, an internal report states.
The licenses have been turned over to the department's evidence room.
"We will be working to contact the people and make sure the licenses are returned," Mandopoulos said. "I will have two detectives taking care of the matter."
A written statement from Kistler attached to the internal investigation completed last year states that it was an oversight that the licenses were not returned.
The statement further notes that he and his partner make several hundred traffic stops per year.
He added that if he did forget to return the identification, it would be placed in the patrol unit and could be easily returned.
The internal report states that one woman who was stopped Nov. 10 came to the police station three times to get her license and did not receive a response from Kistler.
sinkovich@vindy.com