Vermilion police dispatcher ordered to remove social media posts

VERMILION — A police dispatcher found to have violated four Vermilion Police Department policies through her use of social media won't have to serve a two-day unpaid suspension handed down by the mayor as long as she has no further offenses for the next 12 months, according to documents the city released Tuesday. In a letter dated Tuesday, Vermilion Mayor Jim Forthofer, who also acts as the city's safety director, sent a letter outlining the punishment of dispatcher Susan Sharpnack following an investigation by police Chief Christopher Hartung. The dispatcher, who has been with Vermilion police since mid-2016, was informed that she must "remove all TikTok and (OnlyFans) posts, previously identified, within seven days of this date." Sharpnack, who is represented by the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, waived her right to a predisciplinary meeting under the union's collective bargaining agreement after consulting with her union representatives and an OPBA attorney, she informed Hartung in a letter released to The Chronicle-Telegram as part of a public records request. The matter came to the department's attention when an email was sent to Hartung and copied to a number of other media outlets including The Chronicle about Sharpnack inappropriately posting to social media while at work. This included numerous posts to the video-sharing website TikTok as well as possibly inappropriate topless photos posted to the subscription-only video- and photo-sharing website OnlyFans.com, for which Sharpnack apparently was paid by subscribers. Under Vermilion Police Department policy, all off-duty employment must be cleared through Hartung in writing with information on the working hours, duties and compensation included. Also prohibited according to department policy is off-duty, secondary employment that "Threatens the dignity of the Vermilion Police Department and the law enforcement profession," according to documents provided by police to The Chronicle. Hartung said last week that none of the topless photos were work-related, taken at work or monitored at work and that he maintains limited control over what employees do while off-duty. Sharpnack had been warned three months ago about her social media use on the job. On June 3, Dispatch Supervisor Kate Kopriva had "previously addressed with you several inappropriate posts made on the TikTok platform that were found to be in violation of agency rules and regulations" including Rules of Conduct, Professional Conduct and Social Media Policy, Hartung wrote Sharpnack in a Sept. 18 memo titled "Notice of Pre-Disciplinary Conference." Hartung wrote that despite Sharpnack having had the matter brought to her by a supervisor, "it appears that the videos were not removed from that platform. In addition, it is alleged that you maintain an OnlyFans account through which you receive compensation for your posts, which is a violation of the previously identified policies," as well as a violation of the department's Off-Duty Employment policy. Sharpnack had been warned in June about "a few different issues" that her supervisor wrote "have been addressed multiple times in memos, bulletin board entries and directly. Instructions that have been issued and covered in training are not being followed." One of those issues was TikTok videos of Sharpnack that showed her crying and videotaping herself at work on May 19 this year, as well as third-party audio "talking about depression, being unwanted, single." The entry in a letter of reprimand given to Sharpnack on June 2 included the reference to "Multiple videos from that night shift in dispatch," as well as a reference to incidents on May 23 and 24 where "TikTok videos surfaced of (Sharpnack) at work lifting up her shirt exposing a large tattoo on her torso. Another video discussing sexual things she has done/not done. All in dispatch." Kopriva and Sharpnack further discussed the matters contained in the June 2 letter at a meeting on June 3, during which Sharpnack was told the TikTok videos she posted were "inappropriate" and "poor judgment was used," and she was reminded to "be mindful of what you are posting on social media" and not to take photos or videos while in the department. "Tensions are high right now with police and we will be under a microscope while on and off duty," Kopriva wrote in the summary of their meeting. Sharpnack also was reprimanded at the same time for not clearing warrants out of the department's system; rushing to enter warrants for arrests; entering incomplete information about emergency calls on computers; being "grumpy" and "in a bad mood" during shift changes; entering charges against a criminal suspect into the computer before that person was served with charges; having a breakdown in the department where she was "screaming, swearing, and going crazy," and threw a pen at another employee; and failing to respond to supervisors' memos, according to records provided by Vermilion police. Sharpnack's personnel file, which was reviewed by The Chronicle, also contains a letter of commendation for her actions handling a menacing complaint on April 3, 2017. During that call, Sharpnack "remained extremely calm" and was "able to get all pertinent information and relay everything to officers quickly and efficiently." "You were also able to instruct the suspect to come out in a manner that protected everyone involved," Kopriva wrote. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him at @daveobrienCT on Twitter.