Cop’s apology satisfies ministerial group

By Ed Runyan

When the lieutenant is ‘back to normal,’ he should be promoted, one pastor said.

WARREN — The Trumbull County Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance met with the news media Wednesday to say that Lt. Joseph Marhulik, who called two men a derogatory term for a black person in August, deserves forgiveness.

“We are Christian preachers here, and if someone says they’re sorry, ... we have to go by what he’s telling us,” said the Rev. Joshua Moore, president of the Ministerial Alliance, an organization of about 40 ministers, most of them black.

“We think he’s sincere and he’s a good policeman. From what I hear, Lt. Marhulik is a good policeman and is working to make amends,” the Rev. Mr. Moore said, adding that Marhulik’s behavior was uncharacteristic.

“We believe [Marhulik] and believe he just made a mistake, which we are all given to do from time to time,” Mr. Moore said.

Furthermore, the department under new Police Chief Tim Bowers appears to have handled the Marhulik matter in a “proactive” way, Mr. Moore said.

“It appears they have taken a different stance” than in the past, Mr. Moore said, adding that he has talked with Bowers and is looking forward to a good relationship with him.

Pastor Gayle Salter, one of three other pastors attending the news conference, said Marhulik’s comments to two men riding bicycles in the southwest part of the city while off duty on a Sunday night in August were “terrible, but I think it’s been adequately taken care of.”

She added, “I think he needs disciplined and training.”

Mr. Moore said that when Marhulik, Bowers and Safety-Service Director Doug Franklin met with the group recently, Marhulik said he was attending Alcoholics Anonymous and getting counseling.

Marhulik was suspended for two weeks for violating several departmental policies that night, such as acting unprofessionally.

Among the findings of an internal-affairs investigation were that he should not have allowed his adult son to ride with him in his unmarked police car that night, and he should not have consumed alcohol while carrying his service revolver.

The incident ended that night when a security guard at a low-income housing unit near the former St. Joseph Hospital called police to say that Marhulik appeared to be intoxicated, wearing his gun and talking to residents. A fellow officer drove Marhulik home.

Marhulik went on sick leave for about a month in September and October and used vacation time to serve his two-week suspension.

Marhulik declined to be specific with a Vindicator reporter last week in discussing what led to his behavior Aug. 15-16, saying it involved private medical issues for which he is being treated. He does believe, however, that it is important that he has owned up to the accusations brought against him.

“I didn’t challenge it. I didn’t split hairs. I accepted responsibility. You don’t fight and argue when you’re wrong,” he said.

Marhulik is in line to become a captain to fill Bowers’ old position, but Franklin said the promotion is on hold until everyone is satisfied that Marhulik is ready for the job.

The Rev. William Barnes said Marhulik’s behavior appears to be mostly medically related.

“He’s under a doctor’s care right now. He went through the police’s care. And he’s going on his own with AA meetings,” the Rev. Mr. Barnes said.

“And I feel that when they say he’s back to normal, I don’t see why we’d try to hold him back, and we won’t try to hold him back.”

runyan@vindy.com