MAHONING COUNTY Campbell woman complains of treatment by area police

The woman is intending to file a suit against both departments.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A Campbell woman is looking for an explanation from Youngstown police and Boardman police over an episode that she says left her family scared and shaken.
Etta Huff said Youngstown officers incorrectly filed a stolen-car report that led to what she calls racial profiling by Boardman police in late June. Huff has gone to the Youngstown Area Urban League and the Youngstown Human Relations Commissions for assistance.
The human relations commission unanimously voted Tuesday to give Executive Director William Carter permission to look into the matter.
About the situation
According to Huff, she was returning from Pittsburgh on the evening of June 22 with her 28-year-old daughter, 5-year-old granddaughter and five other children ranging in age from 5 to 10 years old.
Huff said a Boardman officer began following her car on Market Street in the township and continued to follow her into the city. She said a group of seven Boardman and Youngstown police officers pulled her over at Chicago Avenue and Market Street -- with guns drawn.
"There were a lot of officers and a lot of people," she said. "I didn't know what I had done. I couldn't figure out what I had done for them to draw guns on me."
The Rev. Kenneth Simon, an HRC member, witnessed the action. He told HRC members the scene resembled a drug bust because of the number of officers with guns drawn.
Huff said she was ordered to back out of the car while everyone else in the car, including the children, were made to raise their hands in the air. A Youngstown officer, she said, did eventually allow the children to lower their hands after about 20 minutes.
Police, Huff said, told her she had been stopped because the car she was driving was stolen. Eventually, officers determined the car was not stolen.
Report had been filed
Huff said someone attempted to steal the car June 9 and she filed a police report. She thinks the car was mistakenly filed as stolen at that time.
Huff said she was also offended by the officers' demeanor. One officer, after the car was determined not to be stolen, she said, jokingly said that maybe Huff could still be charged with child endangering for having too many kids in the car.
Huff said she has filed complaints with the Boardman and Youngstown police departments, but has received no response from either department.
Carter said he will be contacting the mayor of Youngstown and police chief in an attempt to obtain a written response to Huff's complaint. He said a request for a written response will also be sent to Boardman's chief of police.
Most HRC members questioned why Boardman officers followed the car into the city to make the traffic stop and why guns were drawn on those in the vehicle.
Capt. Martin Kane of the Youngstown police said a complaint had been filed and is being reviewed, but beyond that the department has no comment. Representatives from Boardman police had not returned phone calls seeking comments as of Vindicator press time.
Huff said she is looking for an apology.
"I really would like a public apology, not only to myself but to those kids and the parents of those kids," she said.
Huff said she also intends to file a lawsuit against both police departments.
jgoodwin@vindy.com