NORTH BALTIMORE -- People who live in North Baltimore want to know what's going on with their police department. On Tuesday, they packed a village council meeting to ask questions about an investigation of its police chief and other issues.
Chief Gerald Perry has been placed on administrative leave, and village administrators say the entire department is under investigation for inappropriate activities. Councilman Aaron Patterson has said the entire police force is under the miscroscope.
But at the meeting Tuesday, village administrators said they could not discuss the situation, because it's an ongoing investigation. That led one resident to call for an outside investigator to handle the case. "We'd like to know what's going on, who's investigating. Is it village council or have they brought in an outside agency?" asked Jeff Brutz. "The citizens would like to see an outside agency brought in for just such an investigation, just to make sure it's handled properly."
One village administrator, Kathy Healy, has told our media partner the Findlay Courier that if the village uncovers any criminal activity in the police department, they will turn the case over to an outside agency.
Count on News 11 to follow this case as it develops.
Another big item on the council's agenda was the loss of a local company that was running the dispatch center for the police department. According to our media partner the Findlay Courier, Advanced Communications, a private company owned by village resident Jason Wickard that provides dispatchers for the village, submitted a 90-day notice of contract termination. Advanced claimed "unprofessional business relations."
Village Administrator Kathy Healy, in turn, noted some complaints have been received from residents about the level of service that dispatchers employed by the company have offered.
If Advanced Communication's 90-day notice stands, the village must either hire its own dispatchers or find another entity to dispatch for it by Oct. 1. Healy, however, noted she is continuing to consult with Wickard, and that the possibility exists that a new contract could be enacted with his company.
Council assured residents they will be looking at all options, listening to opinions and going with the best services the village can feasibly handle.
