Warren cop fired in May gets job back with back pay

Staff report

WARREN

An arbitrator has ruled that Jason McCollum, who was fired in May, should get his job back with back pay for all but 30 days he’s been off work.

The total of back pay will be $17,291.

McCollum was terminated after internal-affairs investigations indicated that McCollum had lied about whether a man arrested during a call for service in May 2015 had complained about suffering an injury during an arrest made by McCollum and a fellow officer.

McCollum and the other officer also failed to file a use-of-force report as required by departmental policies, according to internal-affairs documents.

The arbitrator, Michael Zobrak of Aliquippa, Pa., said in his 16-page decision that McCollum was at fault for not reporting that police had used force against the suspect and that McCollum made incorrect statements, but he questioned whether McCollum had been purposely untruthful.

“It is important to note that the [internal-affairs] investigation came more than seven months after the incident” because the suspect didn’t file a complaint until seven months later, the arbitrator said.

McCollum is expected back on the job Jan. 1 because he is using accrued time off until then, Police Chief Eric Merkel said.

McCollum had worked for the department 14 years prior to his termination.