By Sharon Coolidge
Enquirer staff writer

A Cincinnati police officer has been accused of using police resources to tip off her boyfriend about an investigation into his alleged drug dealing.

A Hamilton County grand jury indicted Helen "Lanie" Bliss, 37, on five charges, including unauthorized use of property, obstructing justice and conspiracy.

The indictment, unsealed Friday after Bliss's arrest, alleges that in July through Aug. 1, Bliss illegally accessed a crime database that is only to be used by officers in their official work and interfered with a police investigation into Antonio Collins.

In doing so, Bliss promoted marijuana trafficking in Hamilton County, according to the indictment.

The Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit, a joint narcotics task force made up of officers from the Cincinnati Police Department and deputies from the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, arrested Bliss on Friday.

Collins, 25, has charges pending of felonious assault and trafficking in marijuana. Both charges are set for hearings Aug. 17.

Bliss joined the department in 2000. She most recently worked second shift in District 4. She graduated from Indian Hill High School and has an associate's degree from the University of Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Police Chief Tom Streicher alerted City Council of the indictment in a memo Friday. In it, he said Bliss has been suspended without pay pending a department hearing on Aug. 10, which he will preside over.

Bliss's mother posted $5,000 bail, 10 percent of her $50,000 bond, Friday afternoon. If convicted, Bliss faces up to 51/2 years in prison.

Bliss bailed Collins out of jail in April after he was arrested for failing to have a driver's license, and again in June after he was arrested for an unspecified pedestrian violation.

Hamilton County Municipal Judge Ralph E. Winkler dropped charges Friday against Collins for driving his car with the stereo too loud, for an undescribed pedestrian violation, for improperly leaving a curb and for squealing his tires, according to court records.

---

E-mail scoolidge@enquirer.com. Reporter Jane Prendergast contributed to this story.