Whodo you call for help when you have been robbed, assaulted orharassed? Maybe our police department?? Maybe not!!!

Afterall, Middletown’s PD has it’s own internal criminal activity andalso perpetrates crimes upon the public, such as a defenseless,elderly homeless woman in handcuffs whose offense was not answeringLt. Cunningham’s question. All of this goes virtually unpunishedand is therefore may be allowed to be repeated under the blind eye ofour administration who aid and abet by covering it up??? Doesn’tthat make the administration just as guilty???

Knowingthis, would you call the Middletown PD?

Applausewith sincere gratitude is due to WCPO, ABC Channel 9 News forreporting their investigation of Middletown’s police department andother Middletown city officials involved in wrong doing and it’scover up.

Becausethe Journal-News, a Cox media affiliate (and CBS’s Channel 7),refuses to report anything uncomplimentary and unapproved by cityhall, Middletown residents are effectively kept uninformed; alleasily done with the aid of staff writer Ed Richter whose job it isto take dictation from Mr Adkins. Pretty simple, and too easy!?!?

Cityhall has successfully kept the city’s corruption from becomingpublic. Our residents seem not to careabout the corruption because they are either uninformed ormisinformed by the local propaganda paper, Journal-News. Thepublic can not care about thingsof which theyhave no awareness. This will continue unless the corruption is exposed, expunged andthen exterminated like vermin.

Perhapsconstantly keeping the public (our residents and tax payers) informedof past and current corruption will prove to be city hall’snemesis. Relentlessly publishing their corruption and unethicalconduct as far and wide as possible, just may be our best opportunityto rid the city of corruption and the corrupt and unethical. Printing and delivery is the final hurdle to making this happen. Thegoal is a new honest, ethical city government.

Lestit be forgotten again, here aresome of the reported “low lights” exposed by the WCPO Channel 9News investigation of Middletown’s police department and other cityofficials involved in wrong doing and it’s cover up.

• Of the “thousands of disciplinary records from 40 police departments serving the Tri-State” reviewed by WCPO, “Cunningham's case stood out because city officials refused to release any information about the law firm's investigation of the sexual harassment allegations. They said the investigation fell under attorney/client privilege and did not qualify as a public record. Lt. Cunningham's case is by far the most complicated.” In a “conciliation agreement” with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, the city of Middletown agreed to pay $15,000 in damages. Cunningham paid nothing and the entire matter was hidden from the public view for two years.

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• Several hidden records were revealed on Cunningham. So, how many more damning records remain hidden on him and others in all of our city government? Middletown residents are routinely kept in the dark about anything that city hall is afraid to make public. What are they afraid of???? Is it fear of being held lawfully and financially responsible for whatever is being so carefully kept hidden?

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• City hall was still controlling the investigation: “The allegations against Cunningham stayed out of the public eye partly because the officers didn't want media attention, their attorney said. They just wanted to change the culture of the department.” "They weren't looking for a shakedown," Gerhardstein said. "They were looking to feel safe at work. They were able to achieve some of those goals by making sure Lt. Cunningham went through training. They couldn't get him fired. It's just not something the city would agree to. But they were hoping to make things better." Our police wanted to feel safe from one of their own . . . Cunningham!!!

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• “Middletown City Manager Douglas Adkins defended his handling of the Cunningham case in an April 2015 affidavit.” The affidavit lamely defends Cunningham, citing his “record and length of service.” At the time of the affidavit there had been no public exposure of his record of corruption! Adkins said. "I believed a lengthy suspension and a last chance agreement were more effective tools than an unsuccessful termination." Adam Gerhardstein, the attorney for the seven officers who accused Cunningham of harassment, said on camera in WCPO’s interview: “… The city's investigation was designed to protect Lt. Cunningham ..." Gerhardstein argued in a 2015 filing with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. "No written reports were collected from the 70 witnesses interviewed by the city and now the city refuses to release any documents from the investigation claiming they are attorney/client privileged." Mr Adkins has explained in detail on his blog that he informs Council of how he expects them to vote on his recommended, predetermined resolutions and ordinances. The police department seems under that same umbrella of control … Adkins, himself, handled the city’s investigation and it’s cover up!!

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• Mr Adkins virtually insulated himself and Chief Muterspaw from exposure: “WCPO attempted to interview Cunningham and Middletown Police Chief Rodney Muterspaw. Both declined.” This refusal occurred on camera and was aired on WCPO news and Adkins can be heard saying “We’re not going to do this tonight” to reporter Craig Cheatham. On Mr Adkins ‘October 30, 2017 blog in CityofMiddletown.org, he says “”Let me expand. We’re not going to do this anytime ...” In other words, if Adkins prefers to keep hidden any information that might expose some dirty laundry to the public, he will do so ... at will!!!

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• In Mr Adkins’ October 30 blog, he conveniently ignores WCPO’s findings in their investigation and instead focuses on police good deeds. But even further, Adkins has been hiding, for years, a long record of misconduct in Cunningham’s personnel file which began very early in his “career” as an officer. Cunningham’s file shows he was unfit from the start. Adkins was the city prosecutor early in Cunningham’s “career” and had to have knowledge of Cunningham’s ugly personnel file. As city manager he has oversight of our police. Adkins, along with all of Cunningham’s supervisors and our law department have colluded to protect him and themselves.