PADDLING CASE Embattled top cop says he's retiring

The chief said he had planned to retire this year.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
FOWLER -- The township's police chief, who is accused of paddling numerous juveniles as part of a diversion program, has decided to retire.
A letter notifying trustees of his retirement was sent Friday to trustees by Police Chief James Martin, said Martin and his attorney, Randy Weltman.
Martin said Monday that he had planned to retire this year and his decision was not made because of the pending criminal charges.
Atty. Mark Finamore, legal counsel for the township trustees, said officials no longer wanted Martin as chief and had planned to start legal proceedings to have him removed if he refused to leave.
"I'm glad it happened this way instead," Finamore said.
Martin has been on unpaid leave from the township since April.
Finamore noted that trustees believed it was not in the best interest of the township to retain Martin.
Martin pleaded innocent in May to a 52-count indictment related to his actions in running the diversion program. His case is still pending in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
Martin retired in May from his full-time job as police captain in Howland.
What happened
State and federal officials began investigating Martin's juvenile diversion program in March.
The program used corporal punishment and was being operated out of the Fowler Township Police Department.
Martin, free on a $2,500 bond, is facing 20 counts of dereliction of duty; 11 counts of misdemeanor assault; seven counts of unauthorized photography; 12 counts of using a sham legal process; and two felony counts of theft in office, said Dave Toepfer, an assistant county prosecutor.
Authorities said the charge of sham legal process means Martin showed juveniles a document that appeared official but in reality had no legal standing and was not lawfully issued.
The indictment further states that Martin used a wooden paddle on several juveniles and adults numerous times as part of the diversion program.
The adults were 18 and 20 years old. All the victims were male, officials said.
sinkovich@vindy.com