The Shawnee Hills police chief has been suspended for three days without pay after it was determined Russell Baron used a company vehicle while off duty, drank and lied about it.
At Monday’s meeting, the village council approved the punishment recommended by the mayor in a 4-2 vote.
Baron will use two personal days in place of the two suspended days, according to the village fiscal officer Shirley Roskoski.
Roskoski said this essentially makes his suspension one day.
According to a report filed by the mayor, obtained by 10TV, the police chief misused a 2012 Ford Explorer donated for undercover surveillance by Nationwide Insurance, drank while using it and lied about it.
According to the report, Baron was seen on Feb. 6 by a Bureau of Criminal Investigation undercover agent consuming two 16-ounce alcoholic beverages at the Bogey Inn. He left the bar and was later seen at Largos pub where he consumed four more beers, according to the reports based on a Delaware County Sheriff's Office investigation.
Baron was driving a 2012 Ford Explorer that was donated to the Shawnee Hills Police Department by Nationwide Insurance to be used for undercover investigations into insurance fraud, according to a contract both parties signed.
There was no evidence according to Monahan, that Baron, was investigating anything. Baron was off-duty at the time.
According to the reports, Baron twice lied about the amount he drank both before and after failing field sobriety tests. He also refused blood-alcohol tests at the Delaware County Jail.
In March, a special prosecutor made a motion to dismiss the case due to lack of evidence. Both the drunken-driving and license plate charges were dismissed.
