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Police protection sought after suspected threat to Niles city hall
niles
By Jordan Cohen
NILES
A posting on Facebook that may have indicated a threat of violence has led Mayor Thomas Scarnecchia to request the recall of a laid-off police officer to provide full-time protection for city hall.
The mayor plans to present an emergency ordinance before council Wednesday that would authorize the move.
“I’ve never felt this was a secure building,” Scarnecchia said. “We’re making plans to put a camera on the front doors and [those] would be the only way you can come in or out.”
The mayor said residents will no longer be able to use a side entrance, which has been locked.
Capt. Jay Holland, acting police chief, said the post on social media included an “emoji of a gun.”
An emoji is a digital symbol that indicates an emotion, causing the administration to wonder whether someone was hinting at a violent act.
“You’ve got to take these threats seriously, and we’ve got to protect our people,” said James DePasquale, service director.
DePasquale said city employees have been the targets of harassment in recent weeks inside and outside the building.
“Someone is following them around as they’re trying to do their duties in the field and taking pictures of them,” the service director said. “It’s making them nervous.”
Holland said despite the activities, his officers’ hands are tied for now.
“There’s nothing actionable yet [because] there’s no crime we have witnessed,” the acting chief said, adding that one employee already has taken the man to court.
A Vindicator check of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court records revealed that last Thursday, a city employee was granted an emergency civil-protection order by Magistrate Patrick McCarthy against a McDonald resident in what was labeled a “civil stalking action.”
The order is effective until July 14. It bars the man from the city hall parking lot and any contact with the employee. He also is prohibited from entering the employee’s “place of business,” which may be considered city hall.
Another hearing on the protection order has been scheduled for April 27.
Holland confirmed the defendant is the same man who has been following city trucks and recording employees.
Scarnecchia said another reason full-time protection is needed for city hall is the sizable amounts of money that are paid into city coffers during tax season.
Councilwoman Linda Marchese, D-3rd, a member of the safety committee, agreed that building security should be improved.
“The side doors should have been locked years ago,” she said. “Our employees have to be protected.”
Councilman Frank Pezzano, D-1st, safety committee chairman, said employee safety “is top priority,” but he wants to review the ordinance, which is still being drafted.
“If it’s something we can do legally, I’m OK with it,” he said.
DePasquale said the officer would be paid from general and enterprise funds since he will be protecting all departments.
Because Niles is in fiscal emergency, funding has to be approved by state-appointed financial supervisors before the mayor can submit it to council.
“I don’t think we’ll have any problems because this is an emergency,” Scarnecchia said.
“When money becomes available, we will take further measures to secure this building.”