Police chief takes Summit Co. law post

The police chief's contract with the township was to expire Dec. 31.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Police Chief Jeffrey Patterson's new job will enable him to use his newest degree.
Patterson, chief since late 2000, has taken a position with Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh's office.
He'll be an assistant prosecutor in the criminal division.
"I've been looking at a number of things," Patterson said. "I graduated from law school, and this will give me the opportunity to practice law."
Patterson graduated earlier this year summa cum laude from the University of Akron Law School.
He submitted his resignation Monday to trustees, effective July 21. He starts his new job July 24.
Trustees accepted the resignation at a special meeting Monday.
Robyn Gallitto, trustee board chairwoman, said trustees will likely talk about how the department will be administered upon Patterson's departure at a special meeting next month.
Search committee
She also said a search committee for a new chief, consisting of three people with law enforcement and criminal justice backgrounds, will likely be activated.
Gallitto said that when trustees learned that Patterson was interviewing for other jobs, each trustee picked someone to serve on the search committee.
Trustee Elaine Mancini named Gary West, a retired FBI agent; Gallitto named Bob Bush, Youngstown's former police chief and a Mahoning County assistant prosecutor; and Trustee Kathy Miller named Dr. A. Bari Lateef, a retired criminal justice professor from Youngstown State University.
Patterson's contract with the township expires Dec. 31, and he has been a finalist for at least three police chief jobs in recent months.
There has been some friction between Patterson and the majority of the trustees' panel since the beginning of this year. At that time, the balance of power shifted when Gallitto, a political newcomer, was elected and Miller re-elected. Tom Costello, who had served as trustee for six years, was defeated.
In March, the chief submitted a memorandum to then-administrator Curt B. Seditz, to be included in Patterson's personnel file, saying that Gallitto and Miller were creating a hostile work environment.
That memo followed a letter of reprimand the trustees issued to Patterson, citing his personal use of township equipment. Mancini had voted against the reprimand.
He had e-mailed some law school notes to himself at the township and printed them.