Four Warren police officers appeal punishments

WARREN — The police officer demoted and suspended for attending basketball games while on the clock, and the three supervisers who covered for him, have appealed their punishments.

Sgt. Emauel Nites, Sgt. Michael Albanese, Sgt. Dan Mason and Lt. Eric Merkel filed grievances with the city on Tuesday, contesting the punishment they received. The grievances said the punishments were given without “just cause” but specific arguments were not given.

Safety-Service Director Doug Franklin will hear the appeals, usually within 10 days of them being filed, said Gary Cicero, the city’s human resources director. A decision is usually rendered within 10 days of the hearing.

If the officers are dissatisfied with Franklin’s decision, they can appeal it to an arbitrator, Cicero said.

Acting Chief Tim Bowers reduced Nites’ rank from sergeant to patrolman, resulting in $3.35-per-hour pay reduction, and ordered him to serve a 10-day unpaid suspension for attending 14 basketball games in January, February and March in Niles, Windham, Girard, Solon, Howland and Warren Township while on the clock.

Bowers suspended Albanese for five days, Mason for 20 days and Merkel for 10 days — all unpaid — for covering up Nites’ absences by falsifying time sheets, Bowers said.