Whose control does the non-profit Newton Falls Safety Forces group fall under? Police Chief John Kuivila believes that's a no-brainer. "I think it's clear based on the oath of offices, the issuance of IDs and badges, they fall under the police department," says Kuivila. "They may have a separate incorporation but when they are working under the scope of the city, they fall under control of the police department."
The problem is, the volunteer group doesn't agree. When the police chief approached the captain of the Safety Forces group with his assertions, Captain John Sembach wrote a letter to city council asking for help.
"He basically says as of now on there is no rank; no sergeants, no lieutenants, no captain. Everyone reports up to the police department to him and I have a problem with that," says Sembach.
Sembach says Chief Kuivila is trying to take control of his group and seize their equipment. Some Safety Force members fear the city's police chief wants them to disband. Chief Kuivila says that's not true. "My idea is to expand them more," Kuivila said. "They are a tremendous asset to the community and to the police department."
City manager Jack Haney agrees. "We would like to see them continue to be a viable force and continue to serve the community," Haney said.
"We're a tight knit organization," says Sembach. "We volunteer. We help the city. We help the community. Here comes somebody in that doesn't know how we function, who's never seen us function and changes everything dramatically."
Tuesday night both appeared before city council who told both agencies this is something they'll need to work out on their own.
"There just has to be a simple resolution," says Kuivila. "I mean, they have property that's been issued by the city that has to be inventoried for insurance purposes and accountability, obviously, and they have to understand the structured chain of command and the protocol of the police department rules, procedures, policies of the Ohio revised code, etcetera."
