NORTH COLLEGE HILL, Ohio — A dozen complaints from former or current North College Hill police officers detail the "hostile" work environment created by Chief Ryan Schrand, who was placed on administrative leave in March.
WCPO received copies of letters sent to Mayor Tracie Nichols about Schrand and Lt. Frank Petrocelli describing their behavior and impact on officers.
One letter from former officer Josh Six, who worked in North College Hill for nearly a decade, said Schrand "had nearly completely destroyed any sense of morale, family and the team environment" previously found in the department.
"We soon learned, to disagree with Chief Schrand meant there 'would be hell to pay,'" Six wrote.
Six described an environment where Schrand would "openly mock officers" who won discipline disputes and comment that "it was his department and he could do what he wanted."
"He took a department many of us loved to work at, be part of, and made it the most miserable place I have ever had the displeasure to experience," Six said.
Six also mentioned Petrocelli, who he claimed would lie during discipline disputes and "admitted to forging documents of previous discipline and inserting them into my personnel jacket in order to make (my) termination seem valid as well."
Former officer Douglas Rush also commented on Petrocelli, saying he pressured him on two occasions to issue citations to "generate revenue for mayor's court."
Retired Lt. Todd Maus said in his letter to Nichols that Schrand allowed Petrocelli to "fall asleep in staff meetings" and "continually speak badly of me ... about my decision making and handling of situations as a supervisor."
Maus said Schrand was "very egotistical, vindictive, berates his officers in front of others and shows favoritism."
Multiple other officers noted that Schrand held grudges and would retaliate against those who disagreed.
Former officer Shaun Miller, who said he began at the department around the same time as Schrand, claimed he was immediately targeted once Schrand became chief. He said he believes Schrand actively tried to keep him from getting promoted, investigated him for things that were not against policy and was a hostile boss.
Current officer Megan Whyle noted a time at the beginning of her employment when rumors were being spread within the police department suggesting an intimate relationship between her and a male training officer. It was nothing more than a friendship, but Schrand repeatedly pressed her on it for the eight years she's been employed, she claimed.
"The harassing nature of these conversations made me feel uncomfortable. Since then, officers have come to me and told me Chief Schrand approached them about the rumors," she said. "(Another officer) told me Chief Schrand asked him about the nature of my relationship with (my colleague). According to (him), when he did not have or provide any information about it, Chief Schrand told him that if he found out I lied about my relationship with (my colleague) he would, "bury me, fire me immediately and go to the extent of putting me on the Brady list."
The Brady List is defined as "a list compiled usually by a prosecutor's office or a police department containing the names and details of law enforcement officers who have had sustained incidents of untruthfulness, criminal convictions, candor issues or some type of issues placing their credibility into question," the officer explained in her letter.
Whyle also states she approached commanding officers last year about a potential promotion only to be told there wasn't room in the budget for training and got a direct dismissal of the idea from Schrand, according to her letter.
While he is on leave, Nichols said Schrand's responsibilities have been transferred to Lt. Craig Chaney, who one former officer said "the entire department loves and respects."
Chaney had also written a letter to Nichols, stating that despite numerous conversations with Schrand "he refused to change or listen to his most trusted members."
"I have been here for eight years and in that time, we have lost over 30 officers," he said. "Most of those officers have left for other agencies because of the treatment officers received by Chief Schrand."
Since Chaney has taken over, North College Hill has announced Petrocelli's leave as well.
"I apologize if recent circumstances have caused a distraction but I trust that you'll remain committed to serving and protecting the citizens of North College Hill," Chaney said in a letter to officers.
Chief Schrand hadn't respond to a request for comment by publication.
Lt. Petrocelli issued a statement reading: “I am looking forward to the City finding a fair and impartial investigator, clearing my name, and getting back to work.”
It wasn't clear where the city stood in a search for an arbitrator to investigate the claims made against Schrand and Petrocelli.
Mayor Nichols' announcement that Schrand and Petrocelli would be placed on leave came after 75% of the North College Hill Fire Department threatened to walk off the job and City Administrator Jennifer Ekey came to a resignation agreement with the city allowing her to step away with pay.
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