Grievance is for the birds

Conditions unsanitary, police union says

Lorain police have lodged a complaint against a group of suspects they can’t put in handcuffs.

Nesting cliff swallows are creating an unsanitary environment outside the police station, 100 W. Erie Ave., according to a grievance filed by the Fraternal Order of Police Lorain Lodge No. 3.

The birds have built nests under the eaves of the east side of the building. The nests sit roughly above the area along the north end of Broadway where police park their marked cars while officers are at the station.

The result is a mess that violates police union contract conditions and that the city is failing to correct, said the grievance filed by Lorain Fraternal Order of Police President Kyle Gelenius.

“Two police employees have been defecated on this week by the birds,” the grievance stated. “The birds are also defecating on the cruisers. The unsanitary conditions have been the subject of numerous complaints from employees and the matter has already been reported to the city.”

The union is asking the administration to erect a canopy outside the employee entrance until the nests are removed. The city also should clean and sanitize the area and put up netting to prevent the cliff swallow nests, according to the grievance.

Police Chief Cel Rivera said he could not resolve the grievance but he agreed with the union’s assessment.

The grievance included a string of emails, including a May 24 note in which a city employee suggested that day the Lorain Fire Department would use a fire hose to rinse off the nests that don’t have eggs in them. That never happened. In an email response, Safety-Service Director Dan Given said the birds could be protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. He added he is “highly irritated” at the city police comments so far.

“Please also be advised that although a minor irritant, with the problems we face every day and the amount of work all of us have (or should have), this should not be the most pressing issue of the day for any of us,” Given wrote. “I would think we should be MORE focused on crime, safety, budgets, gangs, gunfire, etc. etc.”

Rivera said “the idea that any fix would violate federal law is disingenuous — it would never be tolerated in a private residence, office building or business,” and no bank or college would permit the situation for any length of time. Even so, the chief said the situation could be resolved only after serious and thorough research.

RICHARD PAYERCHIN — THE MORNING JOURNAL Lorain police have filed a grievance claiming nesting swallows at the Lorain Police Department have created unsanitary conditions where officers park their cars outside the building, 100 W. Erie Ave. This photo from June 4, shows where the birds are...