LORAIN — A Lorain councilman said Monday he’s tired of hearing about wrongdoings by Lorain police, and he wants Chief Cel Rivera to deliver some answers this month.

Councilman Dan Given, D-at large, told City Council Monday that he was concerned with the recent misconduct by some officers and he ultimately holds Rivera responsible.

“When you have major components of your team being accused of committing crimes they’re supposed to police, something needs to be done with the overall structure of the organization,” Given said after the meeting. “We’re at the point where we cannot ignore it anymore.”

Given requested that Rivera and his key personnel meet with the council by April 28 so the city can work to realign the department’s focus before an increase in warm-weather crime begins.

He said concern expressed to him by residents fueled his call for the meeting and is the driving force behind much of his concern.

“We’re letting residents down,” Given said. “There’s a lack of trust on the streets that needs to be addressed.”

Rivera couldn’t be reached for comment after the meeting Monday.

Safety Director Phil Dore said he thought a meeting with Rivera would be a positive one and provide city leaders with an explanation of what the department’s doing to make the city safer.

“(Given) is concerned about the credibility of our police officers — most of which are stellar guys,” Dore said. “I think Chief Rivera would love to come in and address any of council’s concerns.”

Dore added that a recommendation from the disciplinary hearing of Officer Emilio Morales could come soon.

Morales — the most recent officer to find himself in trouble — was investigated last month after deliberately dumping two guns given to him into a city sewer. He remains on duty.

Before Morales, the actions of embattled Lorain Officer Corey Earl were being scrutinized.

Earl served a three-day suspension last week after an internal investigation determined he violated department policies earlier this year.

Earl broke the rules when he entered Scorcher’s bar on Jan. 30 while he was working to wish a woman he knew a happy birthday, Rivera said at the time.

Department rules, however, prohibit officers from entering bars without an official reason while on duty, Rivera had said.

Rivera also said Earl committed conduct unbecoming of an officer when he complained to three sheriff’s captains about the behavior of a corrections officer he saw while at Scorcher’s. The corrections officer had dated Earl’s former wife.

According to Rivera and the paperwork regarding Earl’s discipline, Earl asked the captains: “What’s it going to take? Am I going to have to take a baseball bat to him?”

In addition, suspended police officer Stanley Marrero has been accused by two women of sexually assaulting them in 2006 and 2007.

The two women have since filed separate lawsuits U.S. District Court and are asking for a combined $30 million from Marrero, Rivera and the city.

Marrero is awaiting trial on charges of theft in office, menacing by stalking, intimidation of a crime victim and public indecency charges.

Contact Stephen Szucs at 329-7129 or sszucs@chroniclet.com.

 

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