Urban League chief keeps eye on complaints

Nine police complaints have been filed so far this year.
& lt;a href=mailto:sinkovich@vindy.com & gt;By PEGGY SINKOVICH & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Allegations of strip-searches and police brutality have caught the national Urban League president's ear, while at the same time the city administration is saying the police department is improving.
Speaking from his office in New York City, Marc H. Morial, former mayor of New Orleans, said he is concerned about the allegations here of police misconduct. "I've been keeping close attention to the situation in Warren," he said.
He noted that Tom Conley, president of the Warren-Trumbull Urban League, has kept him apprised of the situation. He also supports Conley's effort to have the U.S. Justice Department investigate the police department.
"We are completely, 100 percent, behind Mr. Conley and the work he is doing," Morial said.
Conley has been an outspoken critic of Police Chief John Mandopoulos since last year, after the police department received local and national press concerning complaints that dealt with allegations of excessive force and possibly illegal strip-searches.
Cite improvements
Mandopoulos, Mayor Michael O'Brien and Safety-Service Director Doug Franklin said that the department has improved in the last few months and that additional training has been implemented.
"We are addressing the concerns of the public," O'Brien said.
The mayor noted that in 2003, before he took office, the police department received 59 complaints. This year nine complaints have been filed.
The police chief questions why Conley is involving the national president concerning local issues.
"Why would Conley go outside the area?" Mandopoulos said. "Is this a guy that knows more that I do about what is happening here? I've done nothing wrong."
Morial noted that there have been problems in numerous cities with police using racial profiling. He noted that the complaints in Warren are similar to those in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
"We are very concerned about this and take this matter very seriously," Morial said.
Councilman James "Doc" Pugh and Conley said even though there has been a reduction in complaints, they are concerned that officers involved in some of the strip-searches have not been disciplined.
Ongoing investigation
The police department and the city law department are investigating if police violated the law when people who were arrested on traffic charges were strip-searched. Since July, five federal lawsuits have been filed by residents who contend they were wrongfully strip-searched by police. One of those lawsuits has been settled.
Because some of the lawsuits are pending, the law department has advised the administration not to discipline any officers, said Greg Hicks, city law director.
"I think the new administration is addressing the problems now but the problems that were swept under the rug, like the strip-searches, have to be brought out and dealt with," Pugh said. "We need to bring the justice department in to satisfy these concerns the public has. Some sort of action has to be taken before the public has confidence in this department."
Conley has not received a response from the Justice Department. Conley also has asked for a change in the administration of the police department.
State laws
Ohio law states that conducting an illegal strip-search is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Performing a strip-search without filling out a report is a fourth-degree misdemeanor, punishable by 30 days in jail and a $250 fine.
The chief said he took immediate action as soon as a citizen complained about being strip-searched after being stopped for a traffic violation.
"There are no more strip-searches taking place," O'Brien said.
& lt;a href=mailto:sinkovich@vindy.com & gt;sinkovich@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;