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WARREN -- Former Warren police Chief Eric Merkel's personnel file may not benefit him and the city as they defend themselves against three pending federal lawsuits seeking damages for the sex offenses former Warren police officer Michael Edwards Jr. committed against several women.
The suits mention the conduct that got Edwards convicted of two counts of rape and other offenses at his 2024 trial. One of the lawsuits stated that Edwards "preyed on women who were vulnerable due to their life situations" while Edwards was on duty starting in 2019.
Edwards was convicted of two counts of rape of one of the women who sued and six mid-level felonies of sexual battery and gross sexual imposition against another of the women who sued. He was convicted of another mid-level felony of sexual battery against a third woman who sued. There were no convictions related to two of the other women who sued.
The lawsuits seek damages not just from Edwards, but also from the city of Warren and Merkel, alleging that the Warren Police Department ignored an internal affairs complaint in 2019 about Edwards that might have stopped the abuse in the beginning.
Attorneys for the city denied those allegations, stating in a filing in federal court in May that the city and Merkel "deny or deny for want of information allegations that there was" a custom and widespread practice of on-duty Warren police officers committing sex offenses against vulnerable women in the community.
The city also denied that "Edwards' personnel file reveals a complaint against him in 2019 by a woman who informed internal affairs that Edwards had been harassing her daughter on multiple occasions."
The newspaper obtained documents regarding disciplinary action taken against Edwards in 2020 for not handling a June 23, 2019, call properly. It contains a complaint from a woman who said Edwards was parked in the street outside her house that day.
The complaint states that Edwards had conversations with the neighbor's daughter in recent days, but on the day of the improper arrest, the girl ran to the woman upset, "saying she didn't want to speak to (Edwards) and wish(ed) he would stop coming around like this."
That is when the woman's son told Edwards that the officer was not welcome there and that Edwards should "stop harassing her," the complaint states. Edwards arrested the man. A Feb. 5, 2020, disciplinary letter to Edwards stated that Edwards did not have probable cause that a crime had been committed at the time he made the arrest.
SENTENCE
Edwards was sentenced to 34 to 39 years in prison in September 2024 for offenses against the three women and other offenses -- two counts of rape, four counts of gross sexual imposition, two counts of extortion, three counts of sexual battery, two counts of theft in office, two counts of dereliction of duty and one count of attempted gross sexual imposition.
Merkel, who became Warren police chief in 2013, resigned the position July 10, 2026, after allegations were made against him by an officer under his command who said Merkel expressed racial hatred and claimed pay for hours he did not work. Those allegations were apparently never proven.
Warren Law Director Enzo Cantalamessa asked the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation to look into those allegations, but BCI notified Cantalamessa in a July 21, 2026, letter that "Our assistance in this matter cannot be provided at this time."
It stated, "Consideration was given to the type and level of the alleged offense, available evidence, solvability factors and prosecution concerns and limitations."
The letter thanked Cantalamessa for "considering the skills and expertise of BCI in helping you resolve this important matter. I appreciate your concerns in handling this matter in a way that promotes public trust."
BCI did handle the investigation into the crimes for which Edwards was convicted. The Trumbull County Prosecutor's Office prosecuted the case in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
WHY RESIGN?
Some have questioned the reason Merkel chose to resign.
At the time of the resignation, the city released two letters that addressed it -- one from Merkel saying his departure was "in the best interests of the (police) department to move forward without controversy."
The other was from Safety Service Director Eddie Colbert to Merkel, accepting Merkel's resignation. It stated Merkel's resignation was being accepted "solely to avoid the potential of costly and lengthy litigation."
A news release from Warren Mayor Doug Franklin stated Merkel's resignation was effective Aug. 24 because Merkel was going to use accrued vacation time beginning July 9 through Aug. 24, and the vacation leave would be "deducted from any separation pay to which he is entitled."
Officials have clarified that in Merkel's case, the only separation pay he is getting is his unused vacation time up to the amount allowed under the city's policies and procedures manual for Merkel's position.
Interim police Chief Capt. Robert Massucci took over command of the police department on July 9.
But by the time Merkel resigned, three federal lawsuits had already been filed against Merkel, Edwards and the city. They were filed on behalf of five of the six women who alleged sexual misconduct against Edwards in the criminal case for which the former officer was convicted.
A joint defense and plaintiff filing on May 8 in the three civil cases states that the civil suits were resuming now that the Edwards criminal case was over. It stated they first expect to conduct depositions of Merkel and Edwards' spouse.
Depositions involving some of the women who filed the suits had already been completed. The filing asked U.S. District Court Judge Bridget Meehan Brennen, presiding over the cases, to reset deadlines for evidence to be produced.
They asked for deadlines for nonexpert evidence to be provided to the parties to be set for the end of August and other deadlines to be set in late September, October and November.
MERKEL'S PERSONNEL FILE
The newspaper looked into Merkel's personnel file at the city's Human Resources Office in City Hall to see what documents are there that might explain why Merkel resigned when he did. The only documents there were the two letters and the news release, plus a copy of the complaint from the officer under his command. Human resources officials said there were no other documents to provide regarding Merkel's separation from the city.
But Merkel had a disciplinary issue in 2009 that made news, and the newspaper wished to learn more about it and any other disciplinary issues in the file. Nothing in the file suggested referenced sexual assault cases.
Instead, it detailed instances in which Merkel was accused of failing to follow police department policies and procedures over the first 18 years of his 29-year career with the Warren Police Department, before he became chief.
What appears to have been the most harsh punishment and criticism of Merkel came in 2009 involving a Warren police officer attending his child's basketball game during his afternoon shift. The officer missed 68 minutes of work while at the game. The officer gave Merkel, who was then a lieutenant and the officer's supervisor, a note asking Merkel for an hour off of work to attend the game, which was being played in the city, according to coverage of the incident in the newspaper.
But Merkel threw away the note and told the officer "to use the time off at the game as" Code 6, meaning on duty but out of service, such as when an officer is on a dinner break. Then-Warren Police Chief John Mandopoulos, now deceased, gave The Vindicator those details.
Then-Warren Human Resources Director Gary Cicero stated in a letter to Merkel that not only were Merkel's actions wrong, but discarding the officer's time-off slip also put the officer "in jeopardy of disciplinary action for wrongdoing."
Merkel turned in a time sheet showing the officer worked a full shift.
A document in Merkel's personnel file gave the results of a grievance meeting that was scheduled for Sept. 8, 2009. Several city officials were in attendance, as well as two union representatives but not Merkel. The meeting was scheduled to give Merkel a chance to argue against the punishment then-acting Warren police Chief Tim Bowers handed down to Merkel.
The decision that came out of the grievance meeting was a comment by then-Safety Service Director Doug Franklin, that "Lt. Merkel's failure to appear for the grievance meeting is indicative of the attitude that he can do no wrong." The letter was on Warren Human Resources Department letterhead but signed by Franklin. Michael O'Brien was mayor.
"I fully expected Lt. Merkel to come to the meeting and acknowledge his failure to properly command. He was instrumental in the ... fraud on the city that included three subordinates under his command," the letter states.
The letter added, "Lt. Merkel was personally involved in discarding an official document, falsifying payroll records and willful dereliction of duty."
Franklin stated that he did not believe the punishment Bowers gave Merkel was enough "without (Merkel's) acknowledgement of wrongdoing. However, I will support him in his decision."
In Bowers' disciplinary letter to Merkel in August 2009, Bowers expressed similar distaste for Merkel's attitude.
"I find your actions and the arrogance verbalized in your statement to be examples of your disregard for the established policies and procedures of the Warren Police Department," Bowers stated.
Bowers gave other examples from earlier in 2009. At least one of them was before Mandopoulos resigned under pressure in April 2009 as police chief and Bowers became acting police chief.
Bowers stated that Merkel's supervisor at the time, Capt. Janice Gilmore, "has on five separate occasions counseled you on various issues regarding your failure to perform important supervisory functions that are required of a turn commander. Each of Capt. Gilmore's attempts at getting you to adhere to the policy and procedures of the Warren Police Department seem to have failed."
Other items in Merkel's personnel file state that before he became a Warren police officer on Jan. 3, 1995, he worked for the Vienna Police Department for two years from late 1992 to late 1994.
He became Warren police chief on June 18, 2013. During those first 18 years with the department, he was commended many times. In 1997, then Warren Municipal Court Judge Thomas Gysegem commended Merkel in a letter to Timko, calling Merkel the department's "hardest working officer," mentioning the large number of traffic citations Merkel had written, which Gysegem said reduces "death and physical injury upon our roadways."
NOT IN THE FILE
A person wrote a letter recently to this newspaper asking why city officials are allowing Merkel to draw a paycheck through Aug. 24 after allegations were leveled against him of racial hatred and receiving pay for work he did not do.
In an attempt to answer that question, the newspaper asked the Warren Human Resources Department whether there was a separation agreement written when Merkel resigned that explained the terms under which Merkel was leaving, including the amount of severance pay Merkel is going to receive.
Attorney David Daugherty, the city's personnel supervisor, said there was no such agreement in Merkel's personnel file and no such agreement exists.
There were discussions with Merkel before he resigned, and the city provided the two letters between Merkel and Colbert and the Franklin news release, he said. Those are the only documents that address the reason Merkel resigned, Daugherty said.
When Daugherty was asked to explain why Merkel's paychecks will continue until Aug. 24, Daugherty said Merkel qualified to be paid for up to 840 hours of unused vacation time at his monthly pay rate of $8,864.64, as detailed in the city's policies and procedures manual.
Merkel has 3,183 hours of accrued vacation time, but he can only be compensated for 840 hours of it under police department policies and procedures, Daugherty said. Merkel will be paid for the 840 hours ($42,966) on Sept. 21, after his official separation date on Aug. 24, Daugherty stated in an email.
There are not any documents yet showing the total amount he will be paid. But he is receiving his usual two-week pay through Aug. 24, Daugherty stated. The 32 days he will remain on the payroll through Aug. 24 are for accrued vacation time, Daugherty said. That amounts to an additional $13,094. The total of those two amounts is $56,060.
When asked when Merkel's retirement benefits will begin, Daugherty said information is private in the case of every employee.
When asked why someone accused of misconduct can still get paid for more than a month, Daugherty said Merkel is getting the same thing that "every city employee is entitled to" up to the limits in the policies and procedures manual for his position. Merkel does not qualify to be paid for unused sick time, Daugherty noted.
The newspaper asked Ereka Langford, secretary for the Warren Civil Service Commission, if a test date has been set to determine who will be the next Warren police chief; she said no.