Circleville officials defend attacks of secrecy and police leadership dysfunction

CIRCLEVILLE – As ominous storm clouds enveloped the Victorian-era City Hall, city leaders inside were concerned about the public's welfare, tornadoes and whether to cancel their council meeting.

Several also were pondering another form of public safety: the city's beleaguered police department. In the past 30 days, Circleville's mayor has suspended the police chief and deputy chief and fired the safety director less than a week after he said he took the job to help fix the department.

The decimated police leadership stems from a host of investigations including claims of intimidation, harassment, retaliation, discrimination, racial profiling and an alleged assault on the mayor herself. Sgt. Kenny Fisher is now acting chief.

Asked earlier about her decisions and the perception of a departmental crisis, Mayor Michelle Blanton told The Dispatch: "The overall view of policing within the city of Circleville is positive. We have a great team of men and women who serve the city each and every day."

Before the council meeting, she cited two recent "Meet the Mayor events" held for the city's fire and police personnel.

"I want to make sure that relationship is there, that if they see me at the grocery store, or on the street, they can come up and say 'Hi,'" said Blanton, whose part-time responsibilities as a "strong mayor" include overseeing departments and budgets, carrying out daily operations and quelling disorder and controversy.

A prayer, the Pledge and a public take down

As heavy rain began to pelt the building's ornate windows, council members recited the Lord's Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Council member Zachary Brooks then unleashed on the mayor and law director, both of whom returned fire. It was their first public discussion of the police department issue.

Brooks attacked Blanton's lack of transparency, citing her failure to disclose to council and the public what was behind her actions. He scolded Law Director Kendra Kinney for impeding his own investigation by failing to provide him public records he'd requested two weeks ago.

Brooks said that on March 22, Kinney told him that her office "is very busy and that my records requests (for firearms and training logs, and disciplinary investigations) were at the bottom of their list and that when they had time, they'd get to them."

"I have yet to receive those documents, two weeks later," Brooks said, stating that he's learned more from The Dispatch and other news reports. He said it's wrong to be forced to rely on local news "to get my information about the city I was elected to serve."

Brooks said that Kinney advised council members to not speak to any past or current city employees and told them to turn over documents, including text messages to and from fired Safety Director Steve Wilkinson. He said he's willing to do so "because I don't have anything to hide."

Brooks cited Wilkinson's previous statements to The Dispatch that the Ohio Auditor's Special Investigations Unit, Ohio Police Officers Training Academy and other agencies are looking into the dysfunction in the city. He also heard that four Circleville police reserve officers were suspended from duty for failing to keep up with annual training.

"I can tell you that I wasn't informed of these things by anybody (in the city). I'm starting to wonder what else is being kept from us," Brooks said.

"If we are to do our jobs to the best of our ability and serve the community that we were elected by, we cannot continue to be fed bits and pieces of information here and there," he said.

Circleville Mayor's role

It's the responsibility of any mayor to reassure the public that public safety — their most important and expensive city service — is operating smoothly. But the recent turmoil, on the heels of a nearly quarter-million-dollar legal settlement following a police K9 mauling of an unarmed Black truck driver in July, suggests that Blanton is glossing over reality.

Blanton has issued short statements to announce each of the recent moves involving the police chief, deputy chief and safety director. But neither she nor other city leaders have provided details or explanation.

Asked before the meeting about allegations that Deputy Chief Doug Davis assaulted her, Blanton confirmed there is an open investigation: "I will say that there was an incident. There was bodily contact," Blanton said.

The reluctance by city officials to publicly discuss the issues might be an admonition by Circleville's Law Director Kendra Kinney to keep quiet or risk jeopardizing the inquiries. But Kinney, herself, has been criticized for having a potential conflict of interest in police matters.

Police chief forced out in 1999 is law director's father

Circleville police Chief Jon Kinney was the first and only chief to resign before his term was complete, and he was not eligible for a full pension. Hired 30 years ago, Kinney oversaw a troubled office then.

In January 1999, Kinney and two lieutenants were placed on administrative leave while a consultant reviewed the department's performance and efficiency, according to The Dispatch archives. In its final report, the consultant called the department "seriously dysfunctional."

"There was constant squabbling over stuff and discipline-wise, it just wasn't happening," recalled Lt. Charles Knaack, who was placed on leave himself and then returned to duty.

Having Kinney preside over legal matters involving police abuse and dysfunction creates a serious conflict of interest, Knaack said, even if her father's ouster occurred 25 years ago.

"There's no way that's not on her mind," Knaack said, noting the elder Kinney might advise his daughter on how to proceed with investigations and possible discipline.

"The problem is she leaves an opening for a conflict of interest. … Everything they're trying to do to clean things up can be overthrown by her (Kendra Kinney) if they (the accused) bring up this connection to her father," Knaack said.

Before Tuesday's meeting, Kinney told The Dispatch, "Anyone who knows me knows that I do things by the book."

Wanda Gay, Kinney's administrative assistant, defended her boss as "honorable, with the facts and with the law on her side." Council President Barry Keller thanked Gay and Kinney for their "professionalism." He had no response to Brooks' accusations.

Is a culture change needed or possible?

The Circleville police department's challenges extend back decades. And while similar cities have the occasional problems with police use of force or violations of protocol, few have had problems with leadership that appear to be chronic.

Knaact, who served under Chief Kinney and briefly worked with then-Officer Baer, attended a department Christmas party last year and said he was shocked at the behavior of officers, about half of whom were in uniform at a Circleville park shelter.

"It was like a big locker room," Knaact said of what he called a lack of professionalism. He said none of the officers approached the veteran police lieutenant. Finally, he spoke to Baer, who had been quietly observing the event.

"I asked him, 'Who's on duty? Who's covering the city?' and he just laughed and winked and said, 'The sheriff.'"

Prior to being elected three years ago, Pickaway County Sheriff Matthew Hafey was a Circleville police officer from 2003 to 2021. He declined to discuss the situation with the city police department, or Baer, with whom he worked closely and considers a friend and mentor.

Asked if his department, about a mile from City Hall, will be offering Circleville police any additional support, Hafey said, "If they call upon us to assist them, then we're there. … As far as I've seen, it's still business as usual and normal calls for service."

Hafey said he's dedicated himself to maintaining high standards, noting, "All it takes is one person to give every person in law enforcement a bad name."

Do residents feel safe?

In short, yes. A quick survey of those strolling through the city's Historic District seemed to show the police leadership issues aren't affecting their confidence in the department's ability to respond to emergencies or patrol the streets.

"What bothers me most is that the mayor came in and did all this stuff immediately," said James Pete, noting that Blanton took office in January.

Such quick action requires more explanation, Pete said. "I'm a taxpayer, and it should be made public."

Alex Guzman, 72, a semi-retired salesman, said simply "I feel safe," while walking Alex, his boxer-pitbull mix. "Police are present everywhere. They're going through the streets, and they provide the image of safety."

After the council meeting, four police cruisers, sirens blaring, rushed by City Hall on a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. They remained to investigate for more than an hour.

dnarciso@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Circleville councilman says he's been left out of police abuse cases