PIERCE TOWNSHIP — In contrast to another suburban community, Evendale, that hired a controversial Cincinnati police officer, the reaction here Wednesday to Robert “Blaine” Jorg's hire ranged from muted to supportive.

        Officer Jorg was one of three officers hired Tuesday by the township's board of trustees. All of the hires begin work in the growing western Clermont County community April 1.

Jorg

        Officer Jorg was one of two Cincinnati officers charged in the November 2000 asphyxiation death of Roger Owensby Jr. in a Roselawn parking lot. The death sparked criticism by activists, who questioned the number of black men killed by Cincinnati officers in recent years.

        “We had no reaction, none whatsoever,” said David Coyle, township administrator, of the trustees' decision. “A few people from the public were there. (The trustees) opened it up for any questions the audience might have.

        “There were no questions at all.”

        The 30-year-old officer was acquitted by a Hamilton County jury last fall of assault, but the jury deadlocked on an involuntary manslaughter charge. The prosecutor's office decided not to retry him.

        Officer Jorg, reached at his Westwood home Wednesday, declined comment on his new job. He joined Cincinnati Police in 1996.

        Lt. Kurt Byrd, the Cincinnati police spokesman, said Wednesday that Officer Jorg had not yet resigned. He had most recently been assigned to the impound lot.

Jim Brown, a Pierce Township resident, said he had no problems with the hiring of Officer Jorg. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        “I think (Officer Jorg) deserves a chance,” said Lora Chambers, who lives on Locust Corner Road in Pierce Township.

        “I think (the trustees) did the right thing,” said Ms. Chambers. “Policemen put their lives in danger and shouldn't always be second-guessed. If he can do the job, then fine.”

        The community's response contrasts with the outcry by some residents of Evendale, a Hamilton County suburb, when its village council hired former Cincinnati Officer Stephen Roach.

        Officer Roach, whose shooting of an unarmed black man sparked the April riots, began working in Evendale in January. His hiring was followed by protests, heated discussions at council meetings and a petition for a referendum on the hiring.

Serious crime is rare

        Pierce Township in western Clermont County has a population of more than 12,000, a number that has grown by more than 27 percent in the past 10 years.

        Less than 1 percent of the population is African-American. Many residents live on large tracts of land; subdivisions sprout on what was once open fields.

        Serious crime here is rare.

        Trustee Steve Strosnider said the trustees are excited about Officer Jorg joining the police force.

        “We look for him to be a great asset to our community,” said Mr. Strosnider. “I'm looking forward to having a quality young man like that being part of our force.”

PIERCE TOWNSHIP

• Bedroom community in rural Clermont County.    • Population: 12,226 (9,034 adults; 3,192 children 17 and younger).    • Population grew: 27.5 percent from 1990 to 2000.    • Racial breakdown    White: 11,872    Hispanic/Latino: 107    Biracial: 101    Black: 66    Asian: 59    American Indian: 16    Other 5.    • Homeownership rate: 77.8 percent.    • Has its own police and fire departments.    • Number of Pierce Township police: 14, including the chief.    • School districts: Served by West Clermont and New Richmond schools.    Sources: 2000 Census, Enquirer research

        Mr. Coyle said by early afternoon Wednesday he had taken only a handful of calls from township residents, all of them either supportive of the hiring, or expressing gratitude that three more police officers had been hired to patrol the township.

        As he sat on his porch on Turnberry Drive with a morning cup of coffee, Jim Brown said he had no problems with the hiring.

        “The gentleman was exonerated, he deserves a chance,” Mr. Brown said. “This is a great police department here. It's one of the reasons why I moved here.”

        The other two officers hired Tuesday are Phillip Hausermann, a Springfield Township police officer, and Teresa Lynch, a Northern Kentucky University police officer.

        Mr. Coyle said the three were hired from a pool of about 60 resumes. The list of applicants was whittled to finalists for interviews by a team of three police officers, including Police Chief James Smith, who is a former Cincinnati assistant police chief.

        “It was an assessment of their knowledge and job skills, experience and personality,” Mr. Coyle said.

        All three were also given polygraph examinations and extensive background checks.

        Meanwhile, at Wednesday's meeting of Cincinnati City Council, Vice Mayor Alicia Reece demanded an explanation from the Police Department on why its internal investigations of Officers Roach, Jorg and Patrick Caton - the other officer charged, and acquitted, in the Owensby death - have lasted this long.

        “We're starting investigations and then people are leaving and going elsewhere before we can finish,” Ms. Reece said. “People are losing confidence in the process.”

        An earlier memo from Acting City Manager Tim Riordan said the internal affairs investigations would be completed by early March.

        Mr. Riordan said he would give a full report to City Council next week.

        Enquirer staffers Kristina Goetz, Greg Korte and Ken Alltucker contributed to this report.
       
       

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