VOLUME II (IN A SERIES) IS GEORGE T. MAIER UP TO MANAGING THE SHERIFF'S IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER?

UPDATED:  2:30 PM RE:  MISSING AUDIO ON VIDEO PROVIDED TO

UPDATE:  (WEDNESDAY/8:25 AM) SCPR HAS ASKED FOR AT COPY OF VIDEO WITH PATCHED IN AUDIO

SEE SHERIFF'S OFFICE PRODUCED VIDEO (SOUND MISSING) 

OF

TYLER KING'S PRE-BOOKING INTERACTION WITH SHERIFF OFFICE EMPLOYEES

On November 25, 2018 The Stark County Political Report started what is to be a multi-volume series on Stark County Sheriff George T. Maier focusing on how he as performed as sheriff since he first ascended to the office by way of Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee appointment  (on and off as sheriff as a consequence of court decisions) and then elected in his own right of Republican Larry Dordea (2014) and then again (uncontested) in 2016.

In the previous blog in this series, this blogger cited that practically everybody who is anybody in Stark County leadership circles have nothing to say but good things about his sheriffing of Stark County.

Interested readers should get on Sheriff Maier's Linked-in page to get a take on what Maier's friends and professional connections are saying about him.

However he does have his detractors and those seem to be folks (sheriff office employees) who work with him day-in, day-out who are not part of his inner circle.

Because of an incident in which he was second in command in the Ohio Department of Highway Safety, this blogger thought it prudent in the public interest to delve into Maier's leadership style.

Quite a number of blogs (an example) on Maier by the SCPR acknowledge that he appears to have all the credentials to be an outstanding policeman.  However, there are many people in many professions are high quality on the technical aspects of their jobs BUT simply have temperament issues and lack other intangible factors which indicate that they would not make effective leaders.

The SCPR suspects that George T. Maier is such a person and has written about, the apparent to The Report, his lack of temperament and other non-technical factors which would make (pre-appointment/pre-election) not a good choice to be Stark County sheriff.

In Volume I, this statement:

Later on in this series The Report will focus on the more recent allegations by those in a position to see the internal operations of the Stark County sheriff office operations as to whether Maier is deficient as a manager or that the allegations are merely "sour grapes" on the part of those who are not part of the inner circle of Maier confidants.

This blogger has had extensive communication with persons in a position to know in detail the complaints that the sheriff is having to contend with:

• over his allegedly having a favorites list of Stark County Sheriff Office employees who are said to get promotions, duties and other perks as a consequence of being perceived by Sheriff Maier as being personally loyal to him,
• over allegations that while he clearly is a competent if not proficient "patrol duties" type of policing work, he has no clue on how to run a jail and staffs the jails as a sort of "off to Siberia" punitive measure for those he perceives to be personally disloyal and/or "too mouthy" in criticizing his official programs, polices and practices, and
• over allegations that he puts pressure on employees to staff the political side of his getting elected and maintained as the elected sheriff of Stark County.

Here is a comment made by a reader of the SCPR regarding an alleged incident involving Sheriff Maier:

A compliment to you about George Maier. 

Everything you wrote about him before becoming Sheriff was true and the Officers that work there are paying a heavy price for him being Sheriff. 

There is litigation pending against the Sheriff by ...  for putting hands on a Deputy in a fit of rage.

Actually there was no litigation and the SCPR understands that none is planned.  This blogger further understands that there was video of the incident but no audio.

Hmm?

No audio that was shared with The Stark County Political Report by the Sheriff's office in this blog's Public Records Request.  This blogger understands that an audio was patched together and provided to the parties attorneys in the King v. Maier et al lawsuit.

The Report has resubmitted a Public Records Request for a copy of the video with the audio patched in.

A highly credible source confirmed to The Report that a Deputy Flowers (employed as a deputy since December, 2003) recently had an face-to-face with Sheriff Maier.

Here is an a source's (not Flowers) account of the chronology of events:

• Flowers is getting chewed out by two or three deputies and the Sheriff,
• Maier is said to get in his face, and
• screaming at Flowers in the vilest of language,

The SCPR has learned, it was a union/management process which the SCPR is told did not result in any consequence to Maier.

To focus on the point implied above, the weakness in the ability of Flowers proving the allegation was that though there purportedly a video of the encounter (now said to be lost), there was no sound which, of course, if the allegations were to be proven undoubtedly would require sound to complement the video.

While the SCPR is always keenly interested in talking with those who are in a position to know, this blogger  always is out gathering evidence that either disaffirm or tend to confirm any allegations written in SCPR blogs re:  public officials/figures who play into the life of Stark County political subdivision (county, cities, villages, townships, boards of education, and miscellaneous other entities)  governance.

Today, the blog focuses on Maier's management of the Stark County jail.

On March 26, 2018, a lawsuit was filed by one Tyler Dwayne King against:

• Sheriff Maier, 
• county commissioners Janet Weir Creighton (the president), Richard Regula (the vice president) and member Bill Smith.
• Sgt. Chane Cline, Deputy Kristopher Ousley and a "John Doe" and "Sarah Doe," the later two of which is designed to include any "as of the date of the filing of the lawsuit" other persons who may have legal accountability for what Tyler King alleges to have happened to him while in the Sheriff's official custody

Here is a copy of that lawsuit:

Each and every reader ought to read (the complaint is "only" nine pages long) the entirety of the complaint.

Moreover, here is what a person definitely in a position to know says about the incident:

• King is thought by a familiar with him source to be about 5'8" and 245 pounds,
• He got into a "jawing" session with two deputies in the sheriff office "interview room,"
• A consequence was that he got slammed to the floor,
• Suffering (it is alleged):
• a broken neck,
• sustains a fractured skull,
• a traumatic brain injury, 
• a broken eardrum, and, consequently said to be:
• permanently disabled

Initially, according to the SCPR's source, King was transported to an area hospital at which the family purportedly was told that he might not survive the altercation, which we know, he did, but has resulted in the lawsuit filed and the complaint inserted into this blog asking for $10 million in damages.

However, for those who do not, here is a summary of the essence of the complaint from the "introduction" contained in the complaint itself:

And here is a video (provided by the sheriff's office in response to a SCPR "Public Records Request") which appears to be the cornerstone of Tyler King's lawsuit against Stark County, the sheriff and various sheriff office employees.



Let it be said however that the core allegations in the complaint have been denied by defendants and the case seems to be headed to trial.

Here is a pdf file copy of the answer:



From the complaint,  it appears to the SCPR that Maier's alleged culpability is likely centered on his (as the responsible elected official) is alleged to "fail[ed] to adequately trained" the named jail officials which, it is alleged, resulted in injuries to Tyler King.

Presumably, the part of the pre-booking process of King that generated the lawsuit
was what appears to be a takedown of King by two deputies that, it is alleged, caused the injuries listed above.

The portion of the video which focus on the takedown:



According to Stark County auditor payroll records Chane Cline has been employed with the sheriff's officer since April 25, 2001 and Kristopher Ousley since August 17, 2000.

Currently, ordered on November 28, 2018, the case is set for a mediation session on January 10, 2019.



In the interest of fairness, the SCPR has compiled a representative list of allegations/complaints re:  Sheriff Maier's management style, this blogger has sent the list via e-mail to the sheriff.

To date, The Report has not received a response.

However, as regular readers of the SCPR know, The Report publishes responses by amending the original blog.

Hopefully, Sheriff Maier will account to Stark Countians on the issue of whether or not any of the allegations are accurate, and, to the degree they are justify his actions.