Anybody else see the TV news this evening talking about the Athens County 911 Operators?
Something about an investigation - Confiscated employee cell phones - firing some of the staff for using their cell phone while on duty?
The Athens Messenger said this on 9/2:
911 director to recommend dispatchers' fate
Athens County 911 director Doug Bentley said he has made a decision about the future employment status of several 911 dispatchers who were the subject of an internal and criminal investigation, however, the final word will not be given until Tuesday.
Bentley said he will make a recommendation to the county commissioners on Tuesday during their meeting, and it will be up to them to approve or overrule Bentley's recommendations. Bentley said the 911 department reports directly to the commissioners.
Last week, authorities seized personal cell phones of several of the center's dispatchers as part of the investigation.
Since then, three dispatchers have not returned to work at the call center. Liz Smith has been placed on administrative leave, Elizabeth Bradley (a probationary employee) has been fired and Sherri Bailey, a part-time employee, is not currently working.
Bentley has said that he hoped to wrap up the investigation as soon as possible and operate short-staffed until it was completed.
A Jacksonville police officer was fired Monday for reasons that Jacksonville Police Chief Ryan Gillette said were not related to officer Robert Stoica's apparent connection with the investigation. However, Jacksonville Mayor George Pallo did acknowledge that Stoica was somehow involved with the events at the 911 center.
An earlier Messenger story reported that Stoica had been employed by the Laurelville Police Department for an unknown amount of time, according to Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission records. Laurelville Police Chief James Taylor said Friday that Stoica resigned from the Laurelville department on April 24, 2006, and that Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy is aware of his employment dates.
Matthew Baker, a union attorney representing Smith, said he did not know the outcome of Bentley's internal investigation or the criminal investigation, and that he was waiting until Tuesday to find out. Baker said there has not been any disciplinary hearings on the matter.
Several months ago, Bentley said, two other dispatchers were fired for reasons unrelated to this investigation. One male and one female dispatcher, both of whom were still in the probationary period and recently out of training, were dismissed for performance reasons.
Athens County Prosecutor C. David Warren said he would not discuss pending investigations, and would not say how Stoica was involved. However, two sealed search warrants were filed in the Court of Common Pleas Aug. 24, and another was filed on Tuesday.
The above article (to me anyway) talks in circles but NEVER SAYS what is going on with the employees....
Anyone know what's up in Athens?
Steve/KB8FAR
Something about an investigation - Confiscated employee cell phones - firing some of the staff for using their cell phone while on duty?
The Athens Messenger said this on 9/2:
911 director to recommend dispatchers' fate
Athens County 911 director Doug Bentley said he has made a decision about the future employment status of several 911 dispatchers who were the subject of an internal and criminal investigation, however, the final word will not be given until Tuesday.
Bentley said he will make a recommendation to the county commissioners on Tuesday during their meeting, and it will be up to them to approve or overrule Bentley's recommendations. Bentley said the 911 department reports directly to the commissioners.
Last week, authorities seized personal cell phones of several of the center's dispatchers as part of the investigation.
Since then, three dispatchers have not returned to work at the call center. Liz Smith has been placed on administrative leave, Elizabeth Bradley (a probationary employee) has been fired and Sherri Bailey, a part-time employee, is not currently working.
Bentley has said that he hoped to wrap up the investigation as soon as possible and operate short-staffed until it was completed.
A Jacksonville police officer was fired Monday for reasons that Jacksonville Police Chief Ryan Gillette said were not related to officer Robert Stoica's apparent connection with the investigation. However, Jacksonville Mayor George Pallo did acknowledge that Stoica was somehow involved with the events at the 911 center.
An earlier Messenger story reported that Stoica had been employed by the Laurelville Police Department for an unknown amount of time, according to Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission records. Laurelville Police Chief James Taylor said Friday that Stoica resigned from the Laurelville department on April 24, 2006, and that Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy is aware of his employment dates.
Matthew Baker, a union attorney representing Smith, said he did not know the outcome of Bentley's internal investigation or the criminal investigation, and that he was waiting until Tuesday to find out. Baker said there has not been any disciplinary hearings on the matter.
Several months ago, Bentley said, two other dispatchers were fired for reasons unrelated to this investigation. One male and one female dispatcher, both of whom were still in the probationary period and recently out of training, were dismissed for performance reasons.
Athens County Prosecutor C. David Warren said he would not discuss pending investigations, and would not say how Stoica was involved. However, two sealed search warrants were filed in the Court of Common Pleas Aug. 24, and another was filed on Tuesday.
The above article (to me anyway) talks in circles but NEVER SAYS what is going on with the employees....
Anyone know what's up in Athens?
Steve/KB8FAR
