Wednesday, April 21, 1999
Lockland residents back chief
They don't believe OT charges
BY MARIE McCAIN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LOCKLAND — A Hamilton County grand jury's indictment alleging that Lockland Police Chief Ken Johnson abused overtime has left many residents asking the same question: Why?
“This had come up before and he was cleared then. Why is it back, and why now?” asked Adelaide Anderson, a Locust Avenue resident.
On Monday, Hamilton County Prosecutor Mike Allen announced the indictment, charging the chief with two counts of tampering with records and two counts of theft in office for allegedly bilking the village out of 11 hours of overtime while he was a lieutenant in mid-1997.
Although the amount of money involved is small, Mr. Allen said, “public officials must be held to a higher standard.”
Many in this community of about 4,000 say the chief has been good for the community.
They talked of how he worked to get a decent funeral for a day-old baby whose body was found dumped in a pile of garbage on the village's west side July 5, 1995.
The chief named the baby Nicholas Independence and was awarded custody of the body to give Nicholas a funeral. He later led the fight to have a playground built and named for the newborn.
Estelle Grissom recalled more recent efforts.
Referring to a January drug bust that took more than two dozen suspected drug dealers off village streets, the Stewart Avenue woman said: “It seems like whenever somebody is trying to do something good ... that's when somebody else comes along and stops them. All my prayers are going up for him because this just doesn't make any sense.”
Along Eggerding Drive, sentiments were similar.
“I don't believe a word of it,” said Roger Denny, who said he has known the chief for about 20 years. “He's not that type of guy.”
Chief Johnson, a 21-year member of the Lockland Police Department, faces a maximum two years in jail and a $5,000 fine if convicted.
The allegations come from former Lockland Officer Mark Reiber, who was fired in 1997 on Chief Johnson's recommendation. In that same year, Mr. Reiber, who is in a court battle with the village to get his job back, provided information to authorities that accused the chief of lying on overtime slips.
Some residents blamed Mr. Reiber on Tuesday. “That guy is after the chief,” said George Shwaery, also of Eggerding Drive.
Mr. Reiber, who runs a credit counseling service, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
A 1997 village investigation into Mr. Reiber's allegations cleared the chief of wrongdoing, although he was reprimanded for “sloppy record keeping” and was given a two-day suspension.
Mayor Jim Brown has ordered the chief to take his accrued vacation. When that is over, he will be placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the charges.
Police Lt. Gregory Surber has been appointed acting chief.
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