Circleville Police Chief Baer placed on administrative leave

Circleville Police Chief Shawn Baer was placed on administrative leave Monday while the city investigates allegations of misconduct.

According to media reports, as Baer was leaving his office Monday, Mayor Michelle Blanton asked him for his service pistol and other items from his desk. Pickaway County Sheriff Matthew Hafey confiscated Baer’s gun before taking him home.

According to a letter obtained by the Circleville Herald that Blanton sent to Baer on Monday, Baer allegedly harassed, intimidated, retaliated against, threatened to discipline someone, misusing his position, filed improper expenditures, failed to adhere to deadlines on the job, as well as committed time-keeping violations.

Blanton’s letter to Baer said:

During the period of paid administrative leave, you are required to remain available to answer any inquiries, including being able to report in-person between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. You are not to come on city property, or contact City of Circleville employees, absent prior approval by me, or any designee. You are hereby instructed to not retaliate against, harass, threaten, or coerce anyone regarding this matter. You are not to disclose any details of the investigation to any party, other than a personal legal representative.

Similarly, you are not to conduct any work for, or otherwise hold yourself out to represent the City of Circleville during your period of paid administrative leave absent prior approval from me. While on the period of administrative leave with pay, you are to return all City-owned equipment and identification materials, including but not limited to, your badge, ID card, keys to any city building, city radio, city computer, city files or city work materials that are not currently housed in your office, city phone, city vehicle, and duty weapon.

City Law Director Kendra Kinney said City Hall will not comment on the placement of Chief Baer on administrative leave.

City Hall had no further comment about the matter.

During the past several months, CPD has been under fire because of an incident in July that made national news.

Former CPD Officer Ryan Speakman, then a K-9 handler, was placed on administrative leave after a July 4 incident in which he released the dog on Jadarrius Rose, an unarmed Black semi-truck driver, on U.S. 23 south of the city limits.

Law enforcement originally sought to pull Rose over because of his truck’s missing mudflap, according to a highway patrol report. Circleville Police were there to assist.

Rose initially didn’t stop as police pursued him. When he did, he saw officers with their guns drawn and took off again. At some point, he called 911 and told a dispatcher he feared the officers were “trying to kill” him. After pulling over a second time, he delayed getting out of the truck and did not immediately get on the ground as instructed.

Rose initially was charged with a felony for failing to comply with officers, but prosecutors dropped the case. Online court documents show Rose was charged Sept. 26 with a misdemeanor version of the offense. There is an active warrant for his arrest.

Alongside the Circleville Herald, national media outlets filed several Public Records Requests seeking video footage and information about what happened.

A Belgian Malinois named Serg is seen on the video either breaking free or being set loose. At first, the animal seems confused, racing past Rose toward officers at the far end of the truck, then turning back and running for Rose, who was 23 years old at the time of the incident.

Following Speakman’s termination in July, the police union filed a grievance on Speakman’s behalf.

In February, City Council unanimously approved a measure that Blanton to enter into a settlement grievance agreement with former Police Officer Ryan Speakman.

The Herald submitted a Public Records Request to City Hall and received the settlement agreement and the purchase agreement for K-9 Serg, which both Blanton and Speakman signed on Feb. 8.

As part of the agreement, the City Hall will pay Speakman $40,000; he was to tender his resignation as of July 25, 2023; all records of his termination will be removed from his personnel file; he’ll receive his K-9 Serg for $1; and he will be given a neutral letter of recommendation from the city that only outlines dates of employment, positions held and pay.

Speakman also agreed to withdraw his grievance with prejudice and not to sue the city or any representative or employee of the city.

As part of the sale agreement the city outlined its position that the cost of retraining the dog for reassignment exceeds the expected value of the remaining service period for K-9 Serg.

Records shared with The Associated Press by the city of Circleville show it will pay Jadarrius Rose $225,000 after he suffered bites from a dog that was part of the Circleville Police Department’s canine unit July 4. Rose signed the settlement documents on Jan. 8.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.