Toledo officer is relieved of duty

11/1/2006

A Toledo police officer was relieved of duty and removed from the department's payroll pending administrative and criminal investigations of alleged sexual misconduct with a woman while on duty Sunday.

The officer - whom neither police nor his union identified yesterday - voluntarily removed himself from the payroll, said Dan Wagner, president of the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association. The officer has not been charged administratively or criminally.

Mr. Wagner said the complaint of alleged misconduct came from the woman. He said the officer took himself off payroll to stop the administrative investigation so it would not be "polluted" by the criminal investigation. Mr. Wagner said the officer is cooperating in the criminal investigation.

Police learned of the allegation on Sunday.

Chief Mike Navarre and Mr. Wagner declined comment on the circumstances of the allegation and the type of incident from which it stemmed.

Mr. Wagner said detectives are "working thoroughly to disprove or prove the allegation." The union president said he hopes "appropriate action" is taken against the woman if the allegation is proven to be false.

Mr. Wagner said the officer has been on the force five to 10 years and has no prior discipline for which he was found guilty.