YOUNGSTOWN
The investigation into one Youngstown police officer’s retaliatory ticketing ended with a two-week suspension, and an investigation into another city officer’s actions is under way.
Lt. William Ross will be suspended for two weeks after an internal-affairs investigation determined he did target a woman he ticketed after the Italian Festival in downtown earlier this year.
Ross signed off on the suspension recommendation late last week.
Ross was found to have demonstrated failure of good behavior and improper conduct. He begins his suspension Oct. 1. Half of the two-week suspension period will be taken as loss in vacation time, and Ross has agreed not to fight the decision, police officials said.
The complaint against Ross stated the officer wanted an unidentified person admitted to the festival without paying the cover charge Aug. 3. The festival employee working at the gate denied the request, angering Ross.
The complaint says Ross also was upset with the festival employee about a different personal matter and, in retaliation, issued a traffic ticket to the employee later that same night. A co-worker of the festival employee’s brought the matter to police.
Police Chief Rod Foley said Ross’ career as a whole was taken into account in determining a suitable punishment.
“We found that he was certainly spiteful when he wrote the ticket, so he will be punished for that,” the chief said. “We looked at his whole career, and he has been a really good officer over his 20 years here. ... We are disappointed in his actions, and we hope this sends a message that this activity will not be tolerated.”
In an unrelated matter, Officer Phil Chance has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into his activity, but no one will say exactly what activity is being investigated.
“We can’t comment any further until we discuss the matter with the legal department for the city, but he will be on leave until the matter is resolved,” Foley said.
Chance has been with the department since December 2006.
Chance made headlines in 2010 when he shot an 18-year-old male in the parking lot of a bar in the 900 block of Midlothian Boulevard. Reports say Chance, in that situation, was trying to control a large crowd that had assembled to watch a fight outside the bar. Chance asked the driver of a nearby car to turn down his music.
The driver, instead of turning down the music, aimed the car at Chance. The driver reportedly struck Chance with the car, forcing him onto the hood of the car and dragging the officer. Chance fired a shot striking the driver.
Chance was cleared in the shooting. The driver of the car ultimately pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of obstructing official business and driving under the influence.
Comments
HERE WE GO AGAIN! THAT CORRUPT YOUNGSTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE! THEY HAVE ALWAYS USED RETALIATION AS A TOOL EVEN THAT THOUGH THAT NO-TALKING JIMMY HUGHES WOULD'NT ADMIT IT. NOW, SINCE THE YPD IS NO LONGER HIS FRIEND, I BET HE'S HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT ALL THE TIMES HE COVERED THINGS UP FOR THEM. WHY DID ROSS THINK HIS FRIEND SHOULDN'T PAY TO GET INTO THE FEST. IT WAS CHEAP!
is this a paid suspension? it never said. and he gives up vacation time? what a joke, i bet he files for the vac pay
“We found that he was certainly spiteful when he wrote the ticket, so he will be punished for that,” the chief said. “We looked at his whole career, and he has been a really good officer over his 20 years here." Obviously he's been crooked for his over 20 years, this behavior is not something that's done on a whim.
The apple doesnt fall far from the tree. When I heard they hired this disgraced sherriffs son on the force I said thered be trouble. No one can explain how any department could consider hiring someone from a crime family as a right move.
The Chance's in trouble with the law enforcement departments they work for...Priceless!! Go figure. How bout Lenny Strollo does he have any family we can hire somewhere in law enforcement? GEEEEEZ I hope some of the people that post here wake up and demand more from their paid police department and administration. (Are you reading this Youngstown B&R)
YPD has been good to me and my family. I'm certainly not going to look upon the entire force with distain because of the actions of 2 officers.
I'm glad I'm out of that rat hole town. I see nothing has changed cops on the take, rogue cops being judge and jury, what a place, and you Dumbocrats keeping voting that same straight party ticket. Good Luck!
You guys are a bunch of idiots, especially ZZ3. Did the person have a moving violation? If they did, then they deserved that ticket. No where does it say that he made up that ticket. What a bunch of morons post on vindy. How can they even prove it was out of retaliation? If you deserve a ticket, you deserve a ticket. It doesn't matter what the circumstances were before that.
I wonder how many times that guy got shot at, how many fights he got into, how many dangerous situations he encountered, but you LOSERS, cry over giving someone a ticket that they deserved for having a violation? Only criminals complain about the cops. No intelligent, educated, good citizen complains about cops. Peggy states it, the YPD has been good to her, because shes not a criminal.
Then you have an idiot like georgejeanie who equates this with party affiliation. How dumb does one have to be to do that?
I cannot comment on the Chance thing, because no information was released on it. You see how intelligent that comment was? You commenters cannot do that, because you are not intelligent.
@ PEGGY GURNEY.. 2 OFFICERS ARE INVOLVED IN THIS MATTER BUT, YOU KNOW FOR YOURSELF THAT A WHOLE LOT OF YPD OFFICERS GET INTO TROUBLE. LOOKS LIKE IT'S HARDER NOW FOR THE YPD TO BE DIRTY COPS AND GET AWAY WITH IT. HAIL TO THE CHIEF!
Dont you have a black panther meeting tonight redding ?
If you don't break the Law , then you don't have to worry about it. Period.
thank you whitesabbath for having intelligent input.
Can't imagine Mr. Chance doing anything WRONG! Look at the fine, outstanding, CROOKED family he comes from!!!!
Okay, now on the news we find out Chance has a substance abuse problem, and is constantly in trouble. Like father like son. None of this is a,surprise if you look at his family background. And look who his attorney is on tv. Bernard lost her appointment as a YSU trustee because Strickland found out she was dating this losers convicted felon father. Talk about flawed judgement I would never hire this women for anything. This kid should have never been hired and probably Strollo or one of his flunkies pulled some strings to get him hired.
Someone needs to tell Youngstown Born and Raised the cop ADMITTED it was in retaliation.
There are too many active and retired good YPD that shouldn't be covered with a dirty blanket. I've got relatives and still some old high school buddies on that force that are nothing but outstanding and could match up with any police dept. I've heard some of their stories from over twenty years and there is more action in one night than a whole month in the burbs. Sometimes there's gunfire on all sides of town at the same time. Even the westside isn't as safe as it used to be.
Knightcap every now and then I agree with you. Can you imagine what it's like for good cops to see these slobs come on the force.
@REDDING - No, I do NOT know that a whole lot of YPD officers get into trouble. I've heard about things that have happened in the past sure. But like I said above, since I've lived here, YPD has been good to me and my son. VERY good. My son is autistic, and several officers have gone out of their way to make him feel safe and secure, and let him know that they'll be there for him if he needs them.
Police officers are human - just like you and I. They make mistakes - just like YOU and I. There are officers in every single force in the country whose actions are less-than-stellar.
But again, like I said above, I will not withdraw my support for our police force because of the actions of a few. I, for one, will support the YPD until they give me a reason not to.
Haven't lived in Y-town since Mike Yarish was Sheriff. I can see I haven't missed a thing!
I think some of the posts missed the mark especially YB&R, but no surprise for this poster based on his past non-coherent posts. But we are talking about Chances being hired and surprised now that he is in trouble with the force. I think someone that understands already said" Apples don't fall far from the tree". YB&R that means you can expect it based on history and genetics. That what the reply was concerning and hiring practices, and as you can see most agree. Its a no brainer.(Which leaves you out YB&R) As I stated in the past for the majority officers just try to do their job, but YPD also consists of administration who has without a doubt dropped the ball on Youngstown clear down to hiring I guess.
I've always had problems with forms of nepotism. This wasn't that, his dad was the sheriff, not in YPD. But how can you not hire someone based of their families mistakes? I doubt that ZZ3's family is perfect. I doubt you do not have a family member abusing some form of drug. I doubt that there isn't a single crime that your family has committed, even if they were not caught.
No Hope YB&R you'll never get it. And yes crime free family as long as I can remember, it's not that hard for normal people to do after all. Maybe we can get Micky Monus for Treasurer???
Suspended for two weeks over writing a so called "Unwarranted traffic ticket"...what was the ticker for?
Peggygurney your missing the point if you hire Charles Manson in the police department and he starts killing people, nobody would blame the police but they do expect better hiring practices by the administration, thats what everyone is saying and it clearly makes sense as example above. Officers are just the foot soldiers they don't make up administrational procedure (a.k.a. hiring practices etc..)No one is blaming the YPD officers specifically
Haydenthomas YB&R has not the mental capability to absorb any true information contrary to his beliefs so save your time. Again, police ADMINISTRATION (not the police officers for the reading impaired) you need to wake up you've got a town drowning in cockroach crime and you hold the rope unfortunately so do something or give up please