Officer: Theft case is shock

The former acting chief will be back in court Jan. 10.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- City officials say felony theft charges filed against a former police officer here will not cast a dark cloud over the department.
Police Sgt. Kenneth P. Oyler, who had served as acting chief since August, is charged with two counts of theft in office. He will be arraigned in Girard Municipal Court at 9 a.m. Jan. 10.
Oyler abruptly retired from the department in early November. No reason was given for the retirement.
Upon Oyler's retirement, Sgt. James Taafe was made interim police chief.
Taafe said the case is a shock to everyone in the community.
"This blindsided the people here," he said. "Maybe we were naive, but I didn't see this coming; nobody saw this coming. It is a real disappointment."
Restoring trust
Disappointment aside, Taafe said police are not going to allow the case to taint public trust in the department.
"We work daily to build trust with the community. I hope people can look at this -- that we were able to successfully investigate one of our own -- and find us trustworthy in the end," he said.
According to police, Oyler is accused of using a city-issued credit card to pump gasoline into a car other than his department issued vehicle.
The city had issued 12 credit cards to the department. One was assigned to each marked cruiser, and one each to the car the chief drives and the detective's car.
When an officer assigned to a cruiser needed gas or oil, the officer radioed to headquarters about the cruiser's location -- and for what purpose. The chief and detective were not required to radio in when gassing up.
Taafe said the two counts against Oyler stem from two separate incidents where witnesses saw him pumping gas into a vehicle other than that issued to him by the city. He said on one occasion city Police Sgt. Lou Carsone saw Oyler pumping gas into a different vehicle while using a city-issued credit card.
According to Taafe one transaction was for $11.44 and the other transaction was for $43.97.
Moving forward
Mayor Arthur Magee said it is best not to dwell on the situation, to allow the community to move forward. The mayor said he is confident that a new system of buying gas will be efficient and put the minds of those in the community at ease.
"The auditor took steps immediately, the next day, to see that this doesn't happen again, and we hope that is the end of it," Magee said. "I feel secure that this is a one-time thing."
The department now has one card for all gasoline purchases, and the officer gets it from headquarters when gas is necessary. The officer returns the card after making the charges.
Taafe said the department with the law director and auditor conducted an in-depth investigation, but found evidence only of the alleged theft of gasoline. No other charges are likely.
"As far as we are concerned the theft in office investigation is closed pending a successful prosecution," he said. "We followed the investigation and it took us where it took us."
jgoodwin@vindy.com