‘Taser cop’ back on the job

WARREN – An arbitrator has ruled that fired city Police Officer Richard Kovach be returned to duty.

Kovach, a 13-year member of the department, was fired in December by Safety-Service Director William “Doug” Franklin for the alleged illegal search of Tim Brown II of Warren. Brown is the son of city Patrol Officer Tim Brown.

It has been the position of the city that Kovach had stopped Brown knowing he was the wrong man being sought in a homicide because Kovach ran a driver’s license check, thus Kovach had no right to search his car.

The Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association’s position in the case has been that Kovach had reason to enter Brown’s car.

Police Chief John Mandopoulos had recommended to Franklin that Kovach receive a 60-day suspension.

Kovach is the officer that was suspended for the Sept. 2 arrest of Heidi Gill of Howland, an event that drew national attention because he used a Taser to arrest her at Up A Creek Tavern on East Market Street.