Ruling favors Salem officer

LISBON — A ruling is expected to return a Salem police officer to his job.

Officer Richard Kimble II was put on paid leave earlier this month after Taylor Halstead, 8, his wife’s daughter from a previous marriage, said he threatened to harm members of the family with a gun.

Magistrate Kathleen Bartlett issued the order without a hearing on any evidence. She ruled that Kimble was not allowed to have weapons, which meant he could not work.

But Magistrate Colleen Hall Dailey heard testimony last week and issued a ruling that Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge David Tobin approved late Monday.

The magistrate ruled that the girl at no time told authorities that her stepfather threatened her with a gun.

The girl’s father, Ross L. Halstead, not the girl, had indicated that Kimble had allegedly pointed the weapon, the magistrate and judge wrote.

“The child was in school on [Aug. 30] when her testimony indicates this incident occurred [at Kimble’s home],” the magistrate and judge ruled.

Salem Police Chief Robert Floor was unavailable late Monday.

Perry Township police received the complaint from Halstead and the girl during the Labor Day weekend. A statement was taken and turned over to county child abuse investigators, who also investigated the case.