Police union, chief spar over operations

When Lorain police officers have a problem with department operations, they should approach the chief’s office before the mayor’s administration, said police Chief James McCann.

But a work issue last month led to a confrontation with Lorain’s police chief, the officers’ union and the city administration, according to a memo drafted by the Fraternal Order of Police Lorain Lodge No. 3 president.

The situation ended up on the seventh floor of Lorain City Hall, where Mayor Jack Bradley and his top administrators have their offices.

Police union President Kyle Gelenius documented the situation in a memorandum shared with local and state Fraternal Order of Police leaders.

Gelenius said the memo was for internal review, not public release, so he declined to comment on it.

McCann said the chief’s office, not the mayor’s office, should be the first stop for officers when there is a problem in the department.

It is appropriate for the police union to negotiate with the city administration about labor issues, he said.

“They have the right to deal with the mayor’s office directly for grievances at that level, negotiations, MOUs,” the chief said, referring to memoranda of understanding that supplement the union contract.

But the union should not bypass the chief’s office when officers have a problem within the department, McCann said.

“I should get first dibs at fixing any problems within my department,” McCann said. “When it comes to management rights, I will demand they come to my office first before they go anywhere else. “I’m going to fight for that right because it wasn’t that way for a long time, and I’m tired of it.” In the May 18 memo, Gelenius said he approached Max Upton, then safety-service director, to ask why he was not included in a meeting earlier that day.

The administration and police union vice president apparently met to discuss the Ohio Job Share Program, which the city is using to reduce worker hours due to economic conditions caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

While Gelenius was there, he said McCann arrived and claimed Gelenius was being insubordinate, according to the police memo.

The chief left the office and Gelenius continued speaking with Upton and Rick Soto, then deputy safety-service director.

McCann acknowledged he spoke pointedly to Gelenius at the meeting.

But the police union in the past would approach the mayor’s office to go above Chief Cel Rivera, McCann said.

Bradley said he spoke to McCann and dealt with the situation internally.

“I believe first of all in chain of command,” Bradley said.

When police officers file a grievance due to work issues, staff address the complaint using the process outlined in the police union contract, the mayor said.

“I welcome people to come up to our office on the seventh floor if there’s something we need to discuss, but I don’t want to interfere with chain of command, either,” Bradley said.

“I believe first of all in chain of command.”

— Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley

McCann

Gelenius

Bradley