Safety director stands by officers' reprimands

Several grievances were filed by police officers over the new Niles 911 center.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- Safety Director Maurice Guarino says he won't, at least for now, remove documentation of verbal reprimands from the files of two policemen, including the police chief.
Chief Bruce Simeone and Capt. Charles McFalls received the reprimands in January after they refused to turn over to Guarino a report about ongoing investigations into electronic gambling machines.
Simeone said Guarino is not entitled to the report until the investigation concerning "Tic Tac" machines in taverns is complete.
Guarino said Thursday that he didn't know the investigation centered on illegal gambling. Rather, it was his understanding the probe focused on machines, such as pool tables and juke boxes, having required city licenses.
"I didn't know of any gambling investigation," Guarino said, adding he wouldn't have sought the report if he knew it dealt with gaming.
Guarino said he checked with the county prosecutor's office and was told that he's entitled to reports of all police investigations, except in criminal cases. Guarino said he doesn't know whether the probe is a criminal investigation.
"I still don't know if they are legal or illegal," he said of the machines.
Simeone maintains the machines are illegal.
Reprimands in files
When McFalls and the chief refused to give Guarino the report, the safety director gave them verbal reprimands and put a report of them in their personnel files.
Simeone, as part of the grievance procedure, removed McFalls' reprimand from McFalls' personnel file at the police department. It wasn't pulled from files kept in the mayor's office and civil service commission, because, Simeone said, he doesn't have that authority.
Guarino said he won't consider retracting the reprimands until after he sees the report.
Simeone said the investigation isn't complete because police don't know who actually owns the machines that began showing up late last year.
Grievances over 911
In another police matter, Guarino said the police department has received "several" grievances about police officers' filling in for dispatchers.
The new Niles 911 center opened Feb. 14, adding calls from Weathersfield Township to its responsibilities.
The union representing officers and dispatchers, the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, has maintained it is against their contract to fill in for dispatchers, except for times when a dispatcher has lunch or a meeting.
A OPBA staff representative said that on Monday night both a part-time and full-time dispatcher called off sick and were replaced with an officer.
The city is in the process of hiring added part-time dispatchers.
"That's something we'll work out," Guarino said of center staffing.
yovich@vindy.com