Arbitrator: Ohio town must reinstate officer in stun gun case

LORAIN, Ohio - "The city and its police department must take back an officer fired last fall amid accusations that he had used a stun gun on a handcuffed prisoner, an arbitrator ruled Monday.

The reinstatement of Patrolman Daniel Bozsoki was to be immediate and with full seniority, though he would not receive any back pay and could be fired again for breaking any department rule, according to the decision from arbitrator James Mancini.

Bozsoki, a second-year officer, was dismissed October 10 after internal investigators concluded that he violated department rules, including using unnecessary violence and inhumane treatment toward a prisoner.

At that time, Police Chief Cel Rivera said Bozsoki acknowledged that he used his Taser to stun Kalian Santiago on May 1 to show that "he meant business."

Investigators concluded that Santiago, 24, of Lorain had done nothing to deserve being shocked. Santiago was handcuffed in the back seat of a cruiser when he was stunned, the report said.

The Fraternal Order of Police appealed Bozsoki's dismissal to the arbitrator.

"The evidence demonstrates that Bozsoki engaged in serious misconduct. But he wanted only to intimidate Santiago and did not intend to shock or harm him," Mancini wrote. The arbitrator noted that the officer had had a clean work record and concluded that Bozsoki's firing was too severe a punishment.

Mike Kobylka, the city's safety service director, disagreed and said Monday he was disappointed with the ruling. He also said Bozsoki was expected to return to work within days.

The officer can be rehabilitated with the second chance he's being given, said Robert Phillips, an attorney for the police union.

Rivera, the police chief, said he wasn't surprised by the reinstatement ruling and said he hoped Bozsoki had learned from the experience.

"It's something we have to live with," Rivera said."

Yes indeed. The officer in question didn't really do all that much wrong, but needs rehabilitation from not doing all that much wrong.

This is one helluva cool gig. You get to assault people with virtual impunity as your brothers in arms rush to the rescue.

Needless to say, picture yourself facing similar charges and wondering how lenient the justice system will be.

Special Rules for Special People isn't just a slippery slope, it's downhill slalom time on Everest. Every evil civilization known to man began its reign of terror by recruiting, employing, then using mercenary thugs to do their bidding, thugs above the laws of the land.

Thanks to: The War On Guns.