05-26-2009, 10:29 PM
City manager wants police investigated
By Eileen Kelley • ekelley@enquirer.com • May 26, 2009
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Cincinnati Mounted Patrol officer Aaron Layton got into trouble after he dressed his police horse in Steelers colors before a Bengals game last year. He was later stripped of his police powers. Layton claims his supervisor encouraged him to dress his horse. (Enquirer file photo)
Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney has recommended that the police department's internal affairs officers and an outside agency conduct an in-depth investigation into the problems in the mounted patrol.
Dohoney told Police Chief Thomas Streicher he wanted the investigation because the situation involves the chief's family and that the time involved in dealing with the "silly incident" was frustrating him in light of all the other problems the city faces.
The mounted patrol's problems began after an officer was reprimanded for shaving the number of a Pittsburgh Steeler into the neck of his horse and dressing the animal in team colors.
Aaron Layton contends his supervisor, Sgt. Elena Moton, was well aware of the number homage to the officer's favorite team and player Troy Polamalu. He said she never told him to stop, but encouraged him to continue to dress his horse.
![[Image: bilde?Site=AB&Date=20090526&...mp;title=0]](http://cmsimg.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=AB&Date=20090526&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=905270360&Ref=V1&Profile=1056&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0)
Another Mounted Patrol officer, Terry Cox, claims their supervisor at the time, Sgt. Elena Moton (left), asked him to lie to superiors and tell them that Moton told Layton not to dress his horse. (Enquirer file photo)
The reprimand was followed by numerous complaints to the city. A fellow mounted patrol officer also secretly tape recorded Moton. The officer, Terry Cox, contends Moton asked him to make false statements about the matter.
Six officers said they felt threatened by Moton and her repeated bragging about ties to the chief and his wife, Cathy Streicher, a former member of the mounted patrol.
The matter was outlined in a story in The Enquirer that revealed subterfuge and allegations of dishonesty, favoritism and a sergeant threatening to use her friendship with the police chief and his wife to curry favor. Nine officers - out of the 12 in the mounted unit - have talked with the police union about filing charges over hostile workplace conditions with federal agencies.
Cox and Layton filed complaints with the city human resources department and the citizen's complaint authority. Their complaints allege Moton was dishonest and Streicher abused his authority.
"While I have not yet taken a position on the culpability of the officer being accused, I have heard enough that this does need to be looked into further," Dohoney said in a memo addressed to Streicher. "As you know, part of this story implies that it (the matter) is not being probed because of the officer's relationship with your family.
"At the center of all this is a patently silly incident that is the epitome of horseplay gone awry (pun intended)," Dohoney wrote in a May 21 memo obtained by The Enquirer on Tuesday. "In fact, the amount of time that has been devoted to this situation given everything else that we need to be doing to manage the city is a bit frustrating.
"Nevertheless, this situation has brought forward some serious allegations that I simply cannot ignore. ... Turning a blind eye to the charges of impropriety in the police department is just not acceptable," wrote Dohoney.
Dohoney's order for the internal affairs investigation runs contrary to Streicher's decision not to pursue the matter.
Streicher told The Enquirer that the tape recordings hampered any investigation and that he would not be bullied by what he called a vigilante mindset in the patrol.
"Can you guarantee me the authenticity of anything that is included on those tapes?" Streicher said. "... It wasn't done under my jurisdiction, it wasn't done at my direction."
Streicher further added that any allegation of favoritism because of his relationship with Moton was bunk.
"Friendship stops at the door," Streicher said.
In his memo, Dohoney said he hopes the matter is resolved swiftly and any costs will be picked up by the police department.
Additional costs are likely to come from the outside assistance of two members of the International City/County Management Association's Public Safety Services Section.
Dohoney's memo states the two members have investigative backgrounds with various experience in law enforcement.
They'll turn their investigation report over to him.
"I am making no predetermination about any particular officer, but it is not in the city's best interest to let this go." Dohoney said. "... I consider my decision here to be a measured one to help us get to the bottom of this situation that is still lingering."
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090...estigation
By Eileen Kelley • ekelley@enquirer.com • May 26, 2009
Cincinnati Mounted Patrol officer Aaron Layton got into trouble after he dressed his police horse in Steelers colors before a Bengals game last year. He was later stripped of his police powers. Layton claims his supervisor encouraged him to dress his horse. (Enquirer file photo)
Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney has recommended that the police department's internal affairs officers and an outside agency conduct an in-depth investigation into the problems in the mounted patrol.
Dohoney told Police Chief Thomas Streicher he wanted the investigation because the situation involves the chief's family and that the time involved in dealing with the "silly incident" was frustrating him in light of all the other problems the city faces.
The mounted patrol's problems began after an officer was reprimanded for shaving the number of a Pittsburgh Steeler into the neck of his horse and dressing the animal in team colors.
Aaron Layton contends his supervisor, Sgt. Elena Moton, was well aware of the number homage to the officer's favorite team and player Troy Polamalu. He said she never told him to stop, but encouraged him to continue to dress his horse.
Another Mounted Patrol officer, Terry Cox, claims their supervisor at the time, Sgt. Elena Moton (left), asked him to lie to superiors and tell them that Moton told Layton not to dress his horse. (Enquirer file photo)
The reprimand was followed by numerous complaints to the city. A fellow mounted patrol officer also secretly tape recorded Moton. The officer, Terry Cox, contends Moton asked him to make false statements about the matter.
Six officers said they felt threatened by Moton and her repeated bragging about ties to the chief and his wife, Cathy Streicher, a former member of the mounted patrol.
The matter was outlined in a story in The Enquirer that revealed subterfuge and allegations of dishonesty, favoritism and a sergeant threatening to use her friendship with the police chief and his wife to curry favor. Nine officers - out of the 12 in the mounted unit - have talked with the police union about filing charges over hostile workplace conditions with federal agencies.
Cox and Layton filed complaints with the city human resources department and the citizen's complaint authority. Their complaints allege Moton was dishonest and Streicher abused his authority.
"While I have not yet taken a position on the culpability of the officer being accused, I have heard enough that this does need to be looked into further," Dohoney said in a memo addressed to Streicher. "As you know, part of this story implies that it (the matter) is not being probed because of the officer's relationship with your family.
"At the center of all this is a patently silly incident that is the epitome of horseplay gone awry (pun intended)," Dohoney wrote in a May 21 memo obtained by The Enquirer on Tuesday. "In fact, the amount of time that has been devoted to this situation given everything else that we need to be doing to manage the city is a bit frustrating.
"Nevertheless, this situation has brought forward some serious allegations that I simply cannot ignore. ... Turning a blind eye to the charges of impropriety in the police department is just not acceptable," wrote Dohoney.
Dohoney's order for the internal affairs investigation runs contrary to Streicher's decision not to pursue the matter.
Streicher told The Enquirer that the tape recordings hampered any investigation and that he would not be bullied by what he called a vigilante mindset in the patrol.
"Can you guarantee me the authenticity of anything that is included on those tapes?" Streicher said. "... It wasn't done under my jurisdiction, it wasn't done at my direction."
Streicher further added that any allegation of favoritism because of his relationship with Moton was bunk.
"Friendship stops at the door," Streicher said.
In his memo, Dohoney said he hopes the matter is resolved swiftly and any costs will be picked up by the police department.
Additional costs are likely to come from the outside assistance of two members of the International City/County Management Association's Public Safety Services Section.
Dohoney's memo states the two members have investigative backgrounds with various experience in law enforcement.
They'll turn their investigation report over to him.
"I am making no predetermination about any particular officer, but it is not in the city's best interest to let this go." Dohoney said. "... I consider my decision here to be a measured one to help us get to the bottom of this situation that is still lingering."
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090...estigation