CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A police officer with the City of Chillicothe is under an internal affairs investigation for being drunk while at a local bar.
Public records obtained by the Guardian show that the female officer visited the Cozy Inn on May 30 and it was there, city administration says, that the off-duty officer was drunk and caused damage to the bar. The Guardian has chosen not to name the officer at this time, pending the outcome of the internal affairs investigation and any possible criminal charges. In addition, records show that the woman may be a victim of sexual assault, and in compliance with the Guardian’s ethics, this publication does not name sexual assault victims without their consent.
Police reports show that on the morning of May 30, officers were called to the bar at around 3 a.m.
“Officer Lindamood made contact with the bartender …. who advised that a girl later identified as an off-duty officer [officer’s name], was in the bar and she cashed her out for three beers,” Captain Michael Short wrote in his supervisor inquiry, which is still pending. “[The bartender] advised [the officer] seemed okay when she got there and [the officer] left with a guy. [The bartender] advised she heard banging outside the bar and looked on the cameras to find the trashcans were all knocked over. She made contact with the guy and told him they needed to leave. She advised the guy stated [the officer] went to pee and that is when [the officer] came from behind a house and went over a fence.”
Short goes on to write in his narrative that the off-duty officer said she would help the bartender clean up the mess, which the bar respectfully declined and, instead, offered to get her a taxi-ride home. According to the inquiry, the officer and the man walked down the street and out of sight.
The bartender told officers that she called police because she was concerned for the off-duty officer’s wellbeing, given how she was stumbling and that — according to the bartender — the man might have “drugged” the officer.
“[The bartender] stated [the man] seemed to be trying to take [the officer] home …. [the bartender] stated she does not know [the man] and does not know if the possibility of him trying to drug [the officer] could [have] happened,” Short wrote.
Officers checked the area, tried calling the off-duty officer’s cell phone, and even went by her house. They could not find her. In fact, reports show that she left her phone, wallet, and keys at the bar, which bartenders later handed over to the police. After about two hours, the off-duty officer called her own cell phone and told officers that she was in the area of Arch Street and Vine Street, Short wrote and that she had hurt her ankle. An on-duty officer went and picked up the off-duty officer, who said nothing had happened to her and she had gotten drunk. Despite that claim, reports say that the female officer was bleeding from her mouth, hand, and had a hurt ankle. She told the officer that the guy she left with did not do anything to her and that she just got turned around when leaving the bar, and that the injuries were from falling over a fence.
The officer gave the woman a ride home and notified supervisors, who launched an internal investigation, which is still pending; she remains on the job pending the outcome of the department’s findings. The bar declined to file charges, and in fact, has refused to hand over security camera video of the incident, police said.
The Guardian has requested numerous public records about the event and the investigation and has reviewed numerous videos that show the debacle. This publication has chosen not to release the videos, pending the outcome of the investigation or any additional findings that may occur.
If you or someone you know has been victim of sexual assault, confidential resources are available by phoning 800-656-4673.
