Liberty’s chief cop resists leavingSFlb

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

The chief is seeking legal advice before making a decision.

LIBERTY — Police Chief Anthony Slifka is speaking out about his pending termination and is determined to show the good he has done here as the township’s top cop.

Trustees, in a 2-to-1 decision, issued Slifka a letter asking him to resign or be terminated at the trustees’ June 9 meeting. Trustee Jodi Stoyak is opposed to the decision to terminate Slifka.

Slifka has served as chief since 2001. His most recent contract would have ended in October.

Slifka said he is consulting with an attorney about the matter. He has no plans to resign from his position, but said that could change upon the advice of an attorney.

“Based on the advice of my attorney I will make that decision, but the way I feel right now I don’t think I will be going anywhere; they will have to fire me,” he said.

Slifka would not say with what attorney he has been consulting, nor would he say if he intends to fight to keep his position.

“I don’t want to embarrass this community, but I haven’t done anything wrong and by them doing this it just makes us look bad,” he said.

Slifka said at least part of the trustee’s request, initiated by Trustee Gary Litch, stems from long-standing differences between Litch and himself.

“I have a hard time talking with him when he starts ranting and raving. I think it is disrespectful, and I don’t respond well to that,” Slifka said.

Slifka also recalled a disagreement between he and Litch several years ago over the hiring of a part-time dispatcher. Litch, he said, did not agree with his choice for the position.

Litch has identified three recent incidents in the police department that have fueled his dissatisfaction with Slifka’s performance: an elderly woman’s death of hypothermia after officers failed to find her outside her home; the investigation of an officer accused of tracking his girlfriend via a global positioning system; and the investigation into missing funds from the township’s now-closed post office.

Litch has said Slifka failed to keep trustees abreast of the investigations and has shown little progress.

Slifka said he has been in constant contact with Administrator Pat Ungaro and, as recently as the last 45 days, briefed trustees on the progress of the investigation into the GPS matter.

The chief said he is working and coordinating with three attorneys in the investigation into the patrolman.

There are also three officers assigned to the investigation. He said the matter must be handled properly to ensure the township will have no future liability and that can take time.

Slifka said the post office investigation is progressing but post office officials have been moving slowly with the investigation.

He said he has done nothing wrong and is properly handling every open investigation in his department. Much of the details in those investigations, he said, cannot be revealed because they are still open.

This is not the first time Slifka has been asked to leave a position as chief of police.

Slifka was asked to leave the chief position in Fairborn in 1998, where he served 15 years, after he refused to work with the city’s municipal court, Greene County prosecutors and the Interagency Investigative Unit, The Dayton Daily News reports. City officials found new policies implemented by Slifka tied the hands of Fairborn police officers.

Slifka explained that the conflict in that area arose after he was asked to have his officers do drug raids without warrants and only written consent from the occupants. He said he was opposed to this practice because the investigations could be struck down in court if the arrested parties claimed coercion.

Slifka said he is standing on his accomplishments as Liberty chief, a lengthy list he has compiled for those following the proceedings concerning his job. He said his service to the country and local community is extensive.

Regardless of the outcome of the situation here, it is unlikely Slifka will take a position as chief anywhere else.

“I will never do it again. They could offer me all the money and tea in China and I would never do it again,” he said.

jgoodwin@vindy.com