Posted December 10, 200519 yr From the 12/6/05 Toledo Blade: PHOTOS: Navarre, Smith PHOTO: Mayor-elect Finkbeiner with police chief and fire chief TOLEDO POLICE Finkbeiner vows to replace chief of police Navarre with Smith Mayor-elect’s plan elicits threat of legal showdown By IGNAZIO MESSINA BLADE STAFF WRITER Mayor-elect Carty Finkbeiner has not taken office yet, but already is stirring up controversy with an announcement yesterday that he will replace the chief of police. Mr. Finkbeiner, during a news conference at his campaign headquarters, said police Chief Mike Navarre will be replaced by Capt. Jack Smith, a 33-year veteran of the department and commander of the Scott Park district station. He also said that Fire Chief Mike Bell would be retained as head of that department. But soon after the mayor-elect’s announcements, an attorney with the Toledo law firm of Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick faxed a letter to media outlets that Chief Navarre would remain the city’s top cop — regardless of Mr. Finkbeiner’s wishes. Chief Navarre could not be reached for comment last night. His attorney Tim McCarthy said the mayor does not have the power to dismiss the chief. “The chief of police does not serve at the pleasure of the mayor, and may only be terminated for just or reasonable cause,” Mr. McCarthy said. According to the city charter, the mayor may suspend the police or fire chief and could then present a case for dismissal to the Civil Service Commission. Mr. Finkbeiner said he offered Chief Navarre a position as deputy chief working under Captain Smith and that he was disappointed the offer was not accepted. MORE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051206/NEWS16/51206001/-1/NEWS From the 12/7/05 Toledo Blade: City charter, legal opinion at odds over firing issue 1994 ruling seems to support Navarre By ROBIN ERB BLADE STAFF WRITER Mayor-elect Carty Finkbeiner cannot "discharge without cause" the city's police or fire chief, according to a legal opinion by his own city attorney more than a decade ago. Still, it's not the only word on the topic. There's plenty of them in the Toledo Municipal Code and the Toledo Charter, and they seem at odds with one another. Mr. Finkbeiner announced this week he was going to appoint Capt. Jack Smith, a 33-year Toledo police veteran, as police chief. The move would bypass Chief Mike Navarre, who was appointed by then-Mayor Finkbeiner in 1998. The chief's firing could spark controversy on City Council. Councilman George Sarantou said blaming the chief for the handling of the riots is "a flimsy excuse," and questioned why Mr. Finkbeiner intended to retain Fire Chief Mike Bell who, he said, was intimately involved in planning the public safety response to the neo-Nazi march. MORE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051207/NEWS16/512070432/-1/NEWS
June 16, 200619 yr From the 6/15/06 Toledo Blade: Finkbeiner backs off anti-gang proposal Plan to target parents lacked council votes By TOM TROY BLADE STAFF WRITER Mayor Carty Finkbeiner yesterday said he has withdrawn the proposed parental responsibility ordinance, a tool the chief of police had hoped to use this summer to fight gang activity. The mayor and police Chief Jack Smith, along with the Board of Community Relations and the Youth Commission, promised to tackle gang and youth crime this summer while creating positive opportunities for children. Mr. Finkbeiner said he lacked votes on council to pass the parental responsibility ordinance. He said he would decide in the fall whether to resurrect the ordinance. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060615/NEWS16/606150401/-1/NEWS
June 29, 200618 yr Oops.... PHOTO: Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, left, announces Mike Navarre’s return as Toledo police chief. ( THE BLADE/ANDY MORRISON ) PHOTO: Saying he was ‘treated in a way I will not accept,’ Jack Smith resigned yesterday as chief and returned to the rank of captain. ( THE BLADE ) RESIGNATION AND REPLACEMENT Smith out, Navarre in as Toledo police chief; shuffle triggered by blowup with mayor By CHRISTINA HALL and ERICA BLAKE BLADE STAFF WRITERS A confrontation yesterday between Toledo police Chief Jack Smith and Mayor Carty Finkbeiner led to the chief’s resignation and the mayor selecting the former chief as his permanent replacement. The heated discussion that led Chief Smith to resign his position and return to the rank of captain occurred in the mayor’s office during a morning meeting about the city’s gang situation. Hours later, former Chief Mike Navarre — whom Mr. Finkbeiner replaced six months ago — accepted the top police job effective immediately. MORE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060628/NEWS16/60628013/-1/RSS10 From same: Smith joins parade of staff who have fled volatile mayor By TAD VEZNER BLADE STAFF WRITER During a televised debate two weeks before last year’s mayoral primary, candidate Carty Finkbeiner touted how he’d stay fit following heart surgery the year before. Healthy eating, regular exercise, and “never losing my temper,” he pledged. “Well,” he then added, “two out of three isn’t bad.” The joke drew a knowing laugh. In the mayor’s prior two terms, which began Jan. 1, 1994, at least 15 people left because of differences with him — beginning with then-police Chief Marti Felker, who resigned Jan. 1, 1994, saying the mayor would not “discuss the issues” of how best to provide police protection. MORE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060628/NEWS16/60628016/-1/RSS10 From same: In career of ups, downs, Navarre rising once again By JOSHUA BOAK BLADE STAFF WRITER Mike Navarre’s career as Toledo police chief had survived the most delicate of situations. There was the shooting of a black man by a white officer, the Easter Sunday death of two girls hit by a passing SUV that contained an open beer can and an allegedly sober driver, and a publicly released homemade videotape of a police officer beating a man into submission with a baton. All of that occurred during Chief Navarre’s first 12 months on the job. The 28-year police veteran now appears to have survived the whims of Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, who first promoted Mr. Navarre to chief in 1998, demoted him to assistant chief in January, and repromoted him to chief yesterday. MORE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060628/NEWS16/60628017/-1/RSS10
July 1, 200618 yr From the 7/1/06 Toledo Blade: Navarre glad to be back Police chief enjoys post's challenges, rewards By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER Heads are still spinning about this week's Toledo police chief shake-up. And one question is on everyone's mind: Why did Chief Mike Navarre return to the job from which he was bumped six months ago by his boss, Mayor Carty Finkbeiner? "It's a job I've always enjoyed. It's rewarding and challenging. I was interim executive director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, a position I really wasn't qualified to hold," the chief said. "The fact of the matter is, at times, it was very boring. It was not the type of job I was suited for. Of all my options, I'm too young to not work, and I have a freshman in high school." Chief Navarre, 50, returned to his old job after former Chief Jack Smith had a blowup with the mayor at a meeting Tuesday, stepped down as chief, and returned to the rank of captain. Hours later, the nearly 29-year veteran received a call from city hall asking him if he'd be interested in the top cop spot. MORE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060701/NEWS16/607010388/-1/RSS10
June 1, 200718 yr All from the 2/22/07 Blade: PHOTO: Police take Robert Jobe, 15, into custody yesterday. He is expected to be charged in the fatal shooting of a city detective this afternoon. ( WTVG CHANNEL 13 ) PHOTO: Detective Keith Dressel NORTH TOLEDO TRAGEDY - UPDATED "Cooperating witness" hid gun for Toledo teen accused of killing officer By CHRISTINA HALL and CLYDE HUGHES BLADE STAFF WRITERS A person who took a suspected murder weapon from a 15-year-old teen accused of killing a Toledo police officer is a "cooperating witness" and may not be charged, Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre said this morning. Chief Navarre said the person, whom he declined to identify, took the gun from Robert Jobe, 15, and hid it in an area near the Willis B. Boyer museum ship in the early morning hours after the shooting yesterday. The chief said a final decision on charges will rest with the Lucas County prosecutor's office. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/NEWS03/70222009/-1/NEWS 2 suspects had run-ins with officers in the past By ROBIN ERB BLADE STAFF WRITER Until June, police hadn't heard of Robert Jobe. But in the last eight months, the skinny kid known as "Bobby White" had chalked up at least four arrests, including one in December after police found him with a 22-caliber handgun. Today, the barely 15-year-old kid is expected to be charged in the murder of vice and narcotics Detective Keith Dressel. A conviction could send him to prison for the rest of his life. "I was very upset when I saw his picture. I broke down and cried for him and his mother. He's just a kid," said neighbor Glenda Monhollen, adding that she's praying for the boy, the officer, and the families. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/NEWS03/702220394/-1/NEWS Detective Dressel loved work with police, family says By TOM HENRY BLADE STAFF WRITER Toledo police Detective Keith Dressel grew up in Ottawa Lake, Mich., a quiet, little blink-and-you'll-miss-it community just north of the Ohio-Michigan line. Ottawa Lake is a rural community within the reaches of Toledo. Many kids who grow up there yearn for a taste of the city. Detective Dressel, 35, was no exception. While he never forgot his peaceful roots in rural Ottawa Lake, where parents Larraine and Mike Dressel raised him, he went into law enforcement because he wanted to make a difference in Toledo. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/NEWS03/702220367/-1/NEWS Laws provide for detective's family 'This is the least we can do for ... an officer who puts his life on the line,' chief says By JOSHUA BOAK BLADE STAFF WRITER State and federal laws should help provide for the care of the family of Toledo police vice Detective Keith Dressel, who was slain on duty yesterday. Mr. Dressel's wife, the former Danielle Durham, 32, and two children, ages 6 and 4, should continue to receive his base salary, according to the nonprofit Ohio Concerns of Police Survivors. "I think that this is the least we can do for the family of an officer who puts his life on the line every single day," Police Chief Mike Navarre said last night. "He goes out to protect this community not knowing whether he's going to return to see his family." ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/NEWS03/702220413/-1/NEWS
June 1, 200718 yr Link contains photos. All stories from the 2/23/07 Blade: NORTH TOLEDO TRAGEDY - UPDATED Widow of slain Toledo detective thanks community for support BLADE STAFF The wife of a slain Toledo police officer — struggling to fight back tears — said this morning she was thankful for widespread support from his fellow officers and the city, and that she was honored her husband’s memory would be preserved. “I just want to thank everybody in the community for their tremendous support,” Danielle Dressel, 32, said during a news conference with Toledo’s mayor and police chief. “I can’t tell you how much it’s helped me,” she said. “I can’t tell you how much it means to me his memory is bring honored as it is.” ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070223/NEWS03/70223005/-1/RSS Lack of evidence kept teen on streets, prosecutors say By ROBIN ERB BLADE STAFF WRITER A Toledo teen appeared in Lucas County Juvenile Court yesterday, accused of killing a police detective. And with Judge James Ray's brief explanation of the system, so began a process that could send Robert Jobe to prison for the rest of his life. Handcuffed and wearing the dark green jump suit provided by the detention center, the boy sat quietly throughout the brief hearing. He was flanked by defense attorney Ann Barones and his mother, Diane, who kissed him when he was escorted in by deputies. The 15-year-old said few words, answering Judge Ray's question about whether he understood the process with a simple, "Yes, I do, your honor." ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070223/NEWS02/702230367/-1/RSS Suit accuses 3 city police of excessive use of force A Toledo police sergeant and two other officers have been accused in a civil lawsuit of using excessive and unreasonable force and unlawfully entering the home of a central-city man last summer. Jack Colbert, 45, claims that Sgt. Richard Moreno entered his residence at 939 Woodstock Ave. and that the sergeant shocked him with a Taser after Mr. Colbert, according to the lawsuit, witnessed Officers Andre Cowell and Lon Woodard assault a man who had been stopped in front of the plaintiff's home for a traffic violation. The three officers, police Chief Mike Navarre, the city, and the police department were named as defendants in the lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Toledo. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070223/NEWS02/702230387/-1/NEWS
June 1, 200718 yr Links may contain photos. All from the 2/24/07 Blade: NORTH TOLEDO TRAGEDY Widow of slain Toledo detective grateful for support Relatives offer thanks for respects By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER Danielle Dressel held back tears yesterday as she thanked the Toledo community for its outpouring of support after the death of her husband, slain vice Detective Keith Dressel. “He was a hero to me as my husband, and to my children,” the 32-year-old widow said during a news conference at Government Center. Detective Dressel was shot once in the chest during a struggle early Wednesday in the north end after he and two other vice detectives stopped Robert Jobe, 15, and 19-year-old Sherman Powell for a curfew violation and suspected drug activity. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070224/NEWS03/302240013/-1/RSS Church-to-cemetery funeral will be less than 5-mile route More details about slain Toledo police vice Detective Keith Dressel’s funeral were released yesterday, including the under-five-mile route of the procession from a Temperance church to the small, country cemetery where he will be buried. Ohio Lt. Governor Lee Fisher, Attorney General Marc Dann, and Toledo Bishop Leonard Blair are among those planning to attend. Three people are expected to speak at the 11 a.m. funeral Mass inside Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, where mourners will be spread throughout the length of the building in the sanctuary, church hall, and gymnasium. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070224/NEWS03/70224001/-1/RSS
June 1, 200718 yr Both links contain photos. Both from the 2/25/07 Blade: DRESSEL FUNERAL 11 A.M. MONDAY Community mourns slain Toledo detective Visitation under way for officer killed in line of duty By ERICA BLAKE BLADE STAFF WRITER TEMPERANCE - A steady stream of mourners filed through the Bedford Funeral Chapel yesterday to pay their respects to slain Toledo police Detective Keith Dressel. Some of the people knew the 35-year-old vice squad detective. Many did not. Thousands are expected to visit the funeral home. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070225/NEWS18/302250008/-1/RSS09 GRAPHIC: Juvenile crime and punishment GRAPHIC: Total delinquency cases Lucas County youth crime up; jail time down Detective’s slaying renews concern about violent juvenile cases By ROBIN ERB BLADE STAFF WRITER Last week’s deadly shooting of a Toledo vice detective — allegedly by a 145-pound kid nicknamed “Bobby White” — trained a spotlight on Lucas County’s juvenile courthouse downtown. It has been more than a decade since a story of teen violence has triggered so much community anger. Johnnie Jordan, who killed his stepmother with a hatchet and burned her body in 1996, remains locked away in an adult prison. Since then, a panic over a rise in gangs and young thugs has subsided. So, too, has thoughtful, public discussion of juvenile crime. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070225/NEWS03/70225002/-1/RSS
June 1, 200718 yr Links contain photos. All from the 2/26/07 Blade: Tearful honor guard prepares for officer's funeral By JC REINDL BLADE STAFF WRITER TEMPERANCE — When Toledo police Officer Keith Carr slips on his uniform’s pair of spotless white gloves this morning and marches past the casket of his friend and former patrol partner, vice Detective Keith Dressel, he will battle to restrain his emotions and tears. Mr. Carr is one of 11 members of the Toledo Police Department’s Honor Guard who are scheduled to perform funeral honors at today’s church and burial ceremonies for Mr. Dressel, who was fatally shot Wednesday in a scuffle while working undercover. The funeral will begin at 11 a.m. in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, 8330 Lewis Ave., and continue with a procession to St. Anthony’s Cemetery on Erie Road between Douglas and Secor roads. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070226/NEWS03/70226001/-1/RSS Dressel's death struck a nerve for Bill Boyle Ex-patrolman wounded in ’62 lost brother, partner on duty By MEGHAN GILBERT BLADE STAFF WRITER Officers Walter Boyle, left, and Donald Brown — Bill Boyle’s brother and police partner — died from gunshot wounds. Unlike many Toledoans who heard last week that a Toledo police office had been shot and killed, Bill Boyle knew exactly what the other officers at the scene were going through. He had been there himself — in 1962. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070226/NEWS03/70226002/-1/RSS
June 1, 200718 yr Link contains many photos. From the 2/27/07 Blade: FUNERAL OF A FALLEN HERO Thousands salute slain Toledo police officer By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER TEMPERANCE — “Dispatcher to Unit 812 ... Unit 812. Dispatcher to Unit 812 ... 812. “Dispatcher to Detective Keith Dressel on all channels ... Dispatcher to Keith Dressel on all channels. “Attention all units. Detective Keith Dressel has answered his final call.” ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070227/NEWS03/302270015/-1/RSS
June 1, 200718 yr From the 2/28/07 Blade: RESPONSE TO DETECTIVE'S SHOOTING Toledo mayor revives proposal to hold parents liable Goal is to prevent youth crime By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER A day after the burial of a Toledo detective who was allegedly killed by a teenager, Mayor Carty Finkbeiner reintroduced an ordinance that would hold parents and legal guardians accountable for their children's behavior. "Questions have been asked a lot the last week: Why was a 15-year-old out at 2 a.m.? Why was [the teen] armed with a gun?" the mayor said during a news conference yesterday. Detective Keith Dressel, 35, was shot once in the chest with a 38-caliber handgun, the bullet perforating his heart. Police say the shooting occurred during a struggle with Robert Jobe, 15, after undercover vice detectives stopped the teen and a 19-year-old companion, Sherman Powell, in dense fog early Feb. 21 for a curfew violation and suspected drug activity. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070228/NEWS03/702280421/-1/RSS
June 1, 200718 yr From the 3/2/07 Blade: NORTH TOLEDO Powell faces 6 charges in drug bust; police claim he had cocaine on night of officer's slaying By MARK REITER BLADE STAFF WRITER The alleged companion of Robert Jobe, a 15-year-old charged with fatally shooting a Toledo police officer last week, was indicted yesterday on multiple criminal counts related to the murder case, including drug charges. Sherman Powell, 19, was indicted by a Lucas County grand jury on four felony charges — carrying a concealed weapon, possession of crack cocaine, trafficking in cocaine, and obstructing justice — and two misdemeanors — obstructing official business and resisting arrest. Police said Mr. Powell, of 722 Bush St., was with young Jobe when they were stopped in the early morning hours of Feb. 21 by vice Detective Keith Dressel and two other undercover officers in North Toledo. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070302/NEWS03/703020406/-1/NEWS
June 1, 200718 yr Link contains several photos. From the 3/18/07 Blade: SPECIAL REPORT Officer Dressel's killing occurred on 'just a night' By ROBIN ERB BLADE STAFF WRITER When Danny Fleenor stepped into the fog after midnight for his short walk home, the 17-year-old turned back one last time toward his two friends. Relaxing on a set of stairs inside the front doors of a North Toledo duplex, Robert Jobe, 15, and Sherman Powell, 19, were sharing a dirty bottle of whiskey. A typical night, the teen said. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070318/NEWS03/70318001/-1/NEWS
June 1, 200718 yr Link contains a photo. From the 4/1/07 Blade: Grieving relatives battle police in East Toledo Toledo man's body found by meter reader on Mott Avenue By ROBIN ERB BLADE STAFF WRITER A somber scene in East Toledo turned violent briefly yesterday when a dead man's grieving relatives scuffled with police investigating his apparent shooting death. At least four people were arrested at the Mott Avenue house where the body of Ricardo Horton, 28, whose last known address was 727 North Michigan Ave., was found about 9 a.m. yesterday by a meter reader. She noticed the body inside the rear door of 1401 Mott, police said. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070401/NEWS03/704010325/-1/RSS
June 1, 200718 yr Link contains photos. From the 4/12/07 Blade: Police: Teen admitted shooting of Toledo police detective Keith Dressel By ROBIN ERB BLADE STAFF WRITER As Detective Keith Dressel lay dying along a North Toledo street, his partner struggled to comfort him, sort out the chaotic past moments, and determine where in the dense fog the gunman might have run. All the while, 19-year-old Sherman Powell, a suspected drug dealer and companion to the accused killer, struggled in handcuffs nearby, Detective William Bragg testified yesterday. “Keith is laying on the ground breathing pretty hard, so I put [Mr. Powell] down, and I’m trying to console Keith. You know: ‘Come on. What’s going on? You all right?’ Because I’m trying to do whatever I can, but this guy is still moving around. I’m trying to keep one hand on him and be with Keith,” Detective Bragg recalled. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070412/NEWS03/70412006/-1/RSS
June 1, 200718 yr Link contains a photo. From the 4/13/07 Blade: GRAPHIC: Toledo's 2006 crime drop Homicide up, overall crime down in city By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER A spate of slayings in September helped Toledo's homicide total jump last year, but it didn't hurt the city's overall crime statistics, which dropped 4.5 percent. "We are doing a phenomenal job of protecting the citizens of the city," Mayor Carty Finkbeiner said yesterday when he and Public Safety Chief Mike Navarre released the 2006 crime totals. "We will continue to work to reduce crime in 2007." Overall crime reports dropped from 27,776 in 2005 to 26,534 last year. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070413/NEWS03/704130422/-1/RSS
June 1, 200718 yr From the 4/19/07 Blade: Patrolman may lose job over alleged misconduct 2 sex accusations while on duty cited By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER A Toledo police officer under investigation for accusations of sexual misconduct with two women while on duty has been recommended for termination. The recommendation about Officer John Harris III came from Assistant Chief Don Kenney after an administrative hearing earlier this month on more than a dozen departmental charges that included multiple counts of dishonesty, subversive conduct, and insubordination. The recommendation was approved by Chief Mike Navarre and needs final approval by city Safety Director Dave Moebius. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070419/NEWS03/70419023/-1/NEWS
June 1, 200718 yr From the 4/28/07 Blade: Tree planted in memory of slain police detective An oak tree was planted yesterday in the Civic Center Mall between Toledo police headquarters and the Lucas County jail downtown in memory of slain Toledo police Vice Detective Keith Dressel. About 150 people, including Police Chief Mike Navarre and Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, attended the short ceremony. The detective’s widow, Danielle, and their son, Noah, 4, were the first to shovel dirt into the hole where the tree was planted across from the Toledo Police Memorial Garden, the chief said. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070428/NEWS16/70428018/-1/RSS10
June 1, 200718 yr Link contains photos. From the 5/16/07 Blade: PHOTO GALLERY * Dressel case photo gallery * Dressel funeral photo gallery NORTH TOLEDO SLAYING Toledo teenager’s trial as adult debated; judge approves mental exam By ROBIN ERB BLADE STAFF WRITER Accused of killing a police detective, a 15-year-old teenager sat in the middle of a Lucas County juvenile courtroom yesterday as attorneys around him painted starkly different versions of his past, his mental health, and — most importantly — the danger he poses to the community. With a defense attorney’s brush, the picture was of a scared kid called “Bobby” who battled drug addiction, a sometimes chaotic home life, and the grief of his father’s death just a few years ago — an image that might be supported by at least two mental health professionals. But to prosecutors trying to convince visiting Juvenile Court Judge James Ray that Robert Jobe should be tried as an adult, the teen is a manipulative drug user given to dangerous impulses. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070516/NEWS02/70516001/-1/NEWS
June 1, 200718 yr Link contains photos. From the 5/19/07 Blade: ALSO * View the North Toledo shooting incident gallery. Slain Toledo officer's badge retired at emotional ceremony By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER Toledo police badge No. 679 will never be worn by another officer. And the last one to wear it will never be forgotten. The badge slain Vice Detective Keith Dressel wore as a uniformed officer was retired yesterday during an emotional Toledo Area Police Memorial Service to remember fallen officers in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070519/NEWS03/705190368/-1/RSS
June 1, 200718 yr Link contains photos. From the 5/20/07 Blade: Strong support system lifts Toledo police detective’s widow Danielle Dressel presses on after tragedy By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER Danielle Dressel has been tugged in many directions since her husband, Keith, was killed working as an undercover vice officer in North Toledo. Fund-raising events. Awards dinners. Her children’s needs. Her husband’s grave. But there’s one spot she hadn’t been to — until Thursday night. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070520/NEWS03/70520001/-1/RSS
June 1, 200718 yr From the 5/22/07 Blade: TOLEDO POLICE DEPARTMENT Terminated officer will return to duty A Toledo police officer terminated after the department said she lied about an on-duty injury is to be reinstated, according to an arbitrator who upheld an appeal by the police union. Sheila Cook, 53, is to be reinstated with credit for continuous service from June 29, when she was terminated, through the date of reinstatement, arbitrator Paul E. Glendon wrote in a decision Friday. Ms. Cook, who was a nearly 14-year veteran, is to be paid all wages she would have earned if she had not been terminated. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070522/NEWS16/705220371/-1/RSS10
June 3, 200718 yr From the 6/2/07 Blade: City's harbor patrol being beached as police ranks shrink By TOM TROY BLADE STAFF WRITER The Toledo Police harbor patrol likely will stay on shore this summer and its staff reassigned to street duty as the department begins coping with a decline in uniformed officers. Police Chief Michael Navarre said yesterday that he is shutting down the harbor patrol, which has three full-time staff, pending a final staff review. "They're going to be back in cars, assigned to street duty," the chief said. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070602/NEWS03/706020383/-1/NEWS
June 8, 200718 yr First link contains photos. Both from the 6/8/07 Blade: NORTH TOLEDO MURDER Jobe cleaned his gun after killing, court told; hearing recessed until Monday By ROBIN ERB BLADE STAFF WRITER In the hours after 15-year-old Robert Jobe shot and killed a Toledo police detective, he went to a friend’s house and cleaned his gun with alcohol, according to testimony today in Lucas County Juvenile Court. That, according to a clinical psychologist, is the kind of “sophisticated criminal behavior” that shows the juvenile justice system doesn’t have enough time before Jobe’s 21st birthday to rehabilitate him. “In terms of adolescent development, he was pretty calm and cool, in being able to do all that after this highly-emotional shooting,” said Dr. David Connell, an expert witness called by prosecutors who are trying to have the teen stand trial as an adult for the shooting death of vice narcotics Detective Keith Dressel. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070608/NEWS02/706080410/-1/NEWS PHOTO: Toledo police have not received any responses yet to the Patrol Vehicle Sponsorship Program. As illustrated at left, a company can have an ad placed on a police cruiser with a donation of $15,000 toward a new police vehicle. ( PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/TOLEDO POLICE DEPARTMENT ) Toledo police roll out 'marked car' ad plan to raise funds By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER Just been arrested by Toledo police? You might not have to look too far to find an attorney or bail bondsman - just glance at the rear quarter panel of the officer's marked cruiser. As of Wednesday, 466 letters have been mailed to businesses announcing a "Patrol Vehicle Sponsorship Program." ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070608/NEWS03/706080411/-1/NEWS
June 12, 200718 yr Link contains photos. From the 6/9/07 Blade: NORTH TOLEDO MURDER Differing experts paint Jobe as scared kid, good liar By ROBIN ERB BLADE STAFF WRITER The decision about whether Robert Jobe should be tried as an adult for shooting a Toledo police detective to death wound through the field of clinical psychology yesterday as attorneys on both sides dissected the teenager's actions after the shooting. That he cleaned his gun with alcohol. That he munched on snacks during police questioning after his arrest. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070609/NEWS02/706090394/-1/NEWS
June 13, 200718 yr Link contains photos. From the 6/12/07 Blade: JUDGE CITES CONCERN FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY Jobe to be tried as adult Teen won’t face death penalty in officer’s slaying By ROBIN ERB BLADE STAFF WRITER Charged with the shooting death of a Toledo police officer, 15-year-old Robert Jobe will stand trial as an adult, becoming the youngest Lucas County resident in recent memory to face adult time if he’s convicted of aggravated murder. Yesterday, just 20 minutes after retired Lucas County Juvenile Court Judge James Ray announced his decision to send the teenager to adult court, the youth was moved across Spielbusch Avenue and booked into the Lucas County jail on a $500,000 bond. His arrival at the adult jail marked the end of a grueling process in juvenile court that stretched over three months to answer this question: Should the boy — who had turned 15 two weeks before the shooting — be tried as an adult or juvenile in the Feb. 21 death of Toledo police vice Detective Keith Dressel? ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070612/NEWS02/70612002/-1/RSS
June 14, 200718 yr Both links contain photos. Both from the 6/13/07 Blade: ACCUSED IN DETECTIVE'S SLAYING Jobe being held separately from adult prisoners Policy isolates juvenile inmates By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER Robert Jobe will be tried as an adult in the fatal shooting of a Toledo police vice detective, but the 15-year-old won't be spending time with the adult inmates in the Lucas County jail. And if he's convicted, he won't be with adult inmates in a state prison until he's 18 and maybe not until he's 21. The North Toledoan was booked into the county jail Monday after retired Lucas County Juvenile Court Judge James Ray ruled that the youth should be tried as an adult for aggravated murder in the Feb. 21 death of Detective Keith Dressel. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070613/NEWS02/706130432/-1/NEWS Alleged Jobe associate Powell gets July trial date The accused companion of a 15-year-old Toledoan charged in the fatal shooting of a Toledo police detective yesterday received a trial date in Lucas County Common Pleas Court. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070613/NEWS02/706130452/-1/NEWS
June 15, 200718 yr Link contains photos. From the 6/13/07 Blade: ACCUSED IN DETECTIVE'S SLAYING Jobe being held separately from adult prisoners Policy isolates juvenile inmates By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER Robert Jobe will be tried as an adult in the fatal shooting of a Toledo police vice detective, but the 15-year-old won't be spending time with the adult inmates in the Lucas County jail. And if he's convicted, he won't be with adult inmates in a state prison until he's 18 and maybe not until he's 21. The North Toledoan was booked into the county jail Monday after retired Lucas County Juvenile Court Judge James Ray ruled that the youth should be tried as an adult for aggravated murder in the Feb. 21 death of Detective Keith Dressel. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070613/NEWS02/706130432
June 22, 200717 yr Link contains a photo. From the 6/22/07 Blade: FEBRUARY 21 SLAYING Robert Jobe indicted in Toledo police detective's fatal shooting Teen could face maximum of life in prison on 2 counts By ERICA BLAKE BLADE STAFF WRITER After a months-long process to determine whether he would stand trial as an adult, Robert Jobe entered the Lucas County Common Pleas Court system yesterday after being indicted on murder charges. A county grand jury indicted the 15-year-old North Toledoan on one count each of aggravated murder and murder, each with a gun specification. He is charged in the Feb. 21 shooting death of Toledo police vice Detective Keith Dressel. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070622/NEWS02/70622001/-1/RSS
June 28, 200717 yr Link contains a photo. From the 6/27/07 Blade: Jobe pleads not guilty in Toledo detective's slaying Judge sets a date for hearing but not for trial By ERICA BLAKE BLADE STAFF WRITER Standing shackled between his two appointed attorneys and wearing the brown jumpsuit for inmates of the Lucas County Jail, Robert Jobe pleaded not guilty yesterday to murder charges in the death of a police detective. The 15-year-old North Toledoan was arraigned on one count each of aggravated murder and murder, each with a gun specification. He is charged in the Feb. 21 shooting death of Toledo police vice Detective Keith Dressel. Facing life in prison, the teen softly answered the questions posed by Judge Charles Doneghy of Lucas County Common Pleas Court and nodded briefly to his mother and brother before being led back to the jail. Judge Doneghy ordered a $500,000 bond and set a July 17 hearing date, but refrained from setting a trial date. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070627/NEWS02/706270412/-1/RSS
July 11, 200717 yr From the 7/10/07 Blade: Jobe's attorneys ask to suppress evidence No attorney at scene of questioning Attorneys for Robert Jobe, accused in the Feb. 21 shooting death of Toledo police vice Detective Keith Dressel, hope a jury will never hear some of the statements the 15-year-old North Toledoan made after his arrest. David Klucas and Ann Baronas filed a motion yesterday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to suppress statements the teen made Feb. 22 to police Detectives Kermit Quinn and James Couch. The motion said the teen requested an attorney "no less than four times" in response to his initial Miranda warnings and was never provided one. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070710/NEWS02/707100383/-1/NEWS
July 19, 200717 yr Link contains a photo. From the 7/18/07 Blade: Dressel family wants Jobe trial to remain in Lucas County By ERICA BLAKE BLADE STAFF WRITER Robert Jobe should be tried for murder in Lucas County, not elsewhere in Ohio, according to relatives of slain Toledo Police Detective Keith Dressel. The family members made their wishes known yesterday upon learning that Judge Charles Doneghy had set the trial for Oct. 29. Although the Jobe trial is now scheduled for Lucas County Common Pleas Court in downtown Toledo, the 15-year-old's defense attorneys have filed a motion to have the venue changed to another locale. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070718/NEWS02/707180410/-1/NEWS
August 2, 200717 yr I could be wrong, but it seems that you post stories about rioting and crime in Toledo and Athen's to brag about their raucus environments.
August 2, 200717 yr I could be wrong, but it seems that you post stories about rioting and crime in Toledo and Athen's to brag about their raucus environments. OK. That enough advanced warning to keep me out of the area!
May 11, 200916 yr Man shot at midday outside bus station in downtown Toledo Assailant attacks from passing car Toledo Blade, May 10, 2009 With Toledoans edgy about cuts in police protection, another unthinkable act occurred Saturday: A 52-year-old man was shot multiple times in broad daylight at a busy downtown intersection. The drive-by shooting happened outside the Greyhound station at North Michigan Street and Jefferson Avenue shortly after 12:30 p.m. The victim was identified as Abran Gonzalez, whose last known address was in Garland, Texas. The suspect, identified by witnesses as a Hispanic male who was wearing a dark blue shirt, sped off in a burgundy 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee and remained at large Saturday night. The license plate of the suspect's vehicle is EGD5626. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090510/NEWS02/905100345/-1/rss
March 6, 201015 yr Toledo police class put on hold over deficit; balanced city budget comes first, Bell says Article published March 06, 2010 BY IGNAZIO MESSINA BLADE STAFF WRITER Plans to hire new Toledo police officers in 2011 to keep the force's numbers up may fall apart if Mayor Mike Bell's plan to eliminate a $48 million deficit this year is unsuccessful. The mayor Friday suspended recruitment of new police officers who would have started training next year. "Given the uncertainty for approval of certain measures designed to balance the 2010 budget, I have ordered recruitment for the police class to be suspended effective immediately," Mr. Bell wrote to Toledo City Council. "Upon approval of a balanced budget by March 31st, I will then reconsider resuming the recruitment process," the letter said. FULL ARTICLE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100306/NEWS02/3060386
March 17, 201015 yr Bell sends layoff notices to 125 city police officers Firefighter cuts on hold after talks with union Article published March 16, 2010 By IGNAZIO MESSINA BLADE STAFF WRITER Toledo Mayor Mike Bell told 125 police officers yesterday they would be without jobs in 30 days unless his plan to balance a $48 million deficit with union concessions, a trash-fee increase, and higher taxes for a select few gets approval from City Council. The same number of Toledo firefighters avoided getting layoff notices, the result of a last-minute negotiation that Mr. Bell called "positive" but refused to discuss. The city would save $4.08 million - just 8.5 percent of the total budget deficit - by laying off the 125 police officers, plus $925,000 by canceling plans to hire 30 police recruits in September. FULL ARTICLE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100316/NEWS16/3160413
March 24, 201015 yr TPPA, city agree on concessions that will avert 125 officer layoffs Article published March 23, 2010 BY IGNAZIO MESSINA BLADE STAFF WRITER The Bell administration and union leaders representing Toledo's police patrolmen reached a tentative agreement Monday night that includes concessions sought after by the city to help balance a $48 million deficit. Dan Wagner, president of the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association, confirmed the agreement Tuesday morning but declined to offer any details. "We still have to put it before our membership for a vote," Mr. Wagner said. "The city would not agree to something unless it included concessions." Mr. Wagner said the agreement would "insulate" officers from layoff. The mayor sent 125 police officers 30-day layoff notices on March 15 but agreed two days later to at least temporarily rescind the notices. There are currently 590 sworn officers on the force, but that number is expected to drop to 584 by April 15 because of retirements. FULL ARTICLE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100323/NEWS16/100329893
March 26, 201015 yr Uh, Oh. This doesn't look good for Toledo. Toledo police union votes against pact with city Article published March 25, 2010 Members of the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association have voted against a contract with the city that called for 3 percent pension pickups and overtime deferrals. The proposal, which would have cost officers $65 more in their paychecks every two weeks, would have avoided layoffs among the ranks. Notices were sent to 125 police officers last week that they would be laid off to help balance a $48 million budget deficit. The layoffs were later rescinded pending discussions with the city. The vote was 222 against the agreement and 198 for the pact. The union membership voted Wednesday and Thursday on the proposal. FULL ARTICLE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100325/NEWS16/3250402 Bell rejects TPPA offer to hold re-vote on concession deal Article published March 26, 2010 Mayor Mike Bell has rejected an offer from the Toledo police officers' union to hold a re-vote on $2.4 million worth of concessions that the mayor wanted to balance the 2010 budget. In a letter to Dan Wagner, president of the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association, dated Thursday, Mayor Bell said he would decline the offer of a re-vote. "Time is of the essence due to the city's March 31, 2010, deadline to have a balanced budget," the mayor said. "Accordingly we do not consent to the union's request to re-vote the issue of the [proposed contract]." The union membership on Thursday defeated, by a vote of 222-198, a package of temporary concessions that had been negotiated by its leadership with the administration. FULL ARTICLE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100326/NEWS16/3260370
March 31, 201015 yr Toledo City Council approves balanced budget, imposes cuts for most unions Article published March 30, 2010 By IGNAZIO MESSINA BLADE STAFF WRITER Toledo's 2010 fiscal crisis was crunched into a balanced budget last night by a majority of city councilmen who approved a higher monthly trash collection fee, higher taxes from some, and forced concessions on many city employees. The Bell administration took office in January with a predicted $48 million deficit and the current spending plan now predicts a $487,534 surplus for 2010 and does not require any city layoffs, which the mayor had previously proposed for 125 firefighters and 125 police officers. FULL ARTICLE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100330/NEWS16/100339961
April 1, 201015 yr Looks like the circus isn't finished in Toledo yet... Judge denies Toledo police union's request for restraining order Article published March 31, 2010 By ERICA BLAKE BLADE STAFF WRITER A Lucas County Common Pleas Court judge Wednesday afternoon denied a request by the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association that he temporarily halt forced concessions ordered by Toledo City Council. After a lengthy hearing, Judge James Jensen denied the union's request for a temporary restraining order, ruling that he did not have jurisdiction over a matter that he felt should be heard by the State Employee Relations Board because the matter is an unfair labor practice. At issue is whether the city can impose concessions on union members including union employees paying the 10 percent share of their pension contribution and making contributions to their health-care costs based on a sliding salary scale. The union argued in the complaint that the current contract does not allow the city to "reopen and/or in any way to unilaterally modify, alter, or change" the collective bargaining agreement. The complaint further said that the union filed a grievance Tuesday after the city refused to meet with the TPPA. The city's refusal to arbitrate the grievance is a violation of the contract and Ohio law, the lawsuit said. FULL ARTICLE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100331/NEWS16/100339947
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