Lorain Police hires back officer terminated after DUI

LORAIN — A Lorain police officer cut from the department after crashing his car while intoxicated was rehired under a last-chance agreement. Officer James Connell was terminated from Lorain Police effective June 16 stemming from a Feb. 26 crash in Wellington Township when he was charged with operating a vehicle impaired, failure to control, child endangering and lack of child restraints. He was rehired Sept. 30, according to the last-chance agreement obtained by The Chronicle-Telegram on Thursday. Police Chief Jim McCann said Connell's crash and subsequent termination from the department was a wake-up call. "He goes to treatment now, he goes to (Alcoholics Anonymous) now, he's monitored by us now and that's not going to change," McCann said. "But he's a good cop, with a drinking problem. ... I hated to lose him when we did, but I think it took all this stuff to get him to realize he's got a problem." After his termination, Connell filed a grievance contesting the city's action. Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 3 President Kyle Gelenius said the union and city settled Connell's case with a last-chance agreement, allowing him to come back to the department. "I think part of that consideration was because Officer Connell's work product is remarkable, as he has served as both a detective and defensive tactics instructor," Gelenius said. "Officer Connell is looking forward to putting this all behind him and continuing to serve the citizens of Lorain with pride and distinction." The last-chance agreement, effective for five years, requires Connell to submit to random alcohol testing at the city's request, and another alcohol-related incident will cost him his job. For an additional three years after the agreement's expiration, the agreement may be just cause for progressive discipline. The period of time between Connell's termination and his rehiring served as an unpaid suspension, according to the agreement. For at least six months from his reinstatement, Connell is assigned to the dispatch, McCann said. At the chief's discretion, he will return to road patrol. Avoiding arbitration saved the city, and the union, money, McCann said, This is Connell's second last-chance agreement with the city, and not the first time he's faced discipline from the department. In 2017 he spent five days in jail after pleading no contest to a charge of disorderly conduct persisting stemming from an amended domestic violence charge in Lorain Municipal Court. At that time, he was sentenced to three years' probation and required to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings twice a week. He was on a last-chance agreement for the duration of his probation, through July 2020. Prior to that, he had run-ins with fellow Lorain officers while intoxicated in 2014 in which he was never charged, according to previous reporting. McCann said he has no reason to believe Connell will not uphold the requirements of his agreement. "Ultimately the best way to get things solved is to try to find what's best for the member, the department, the city and we've got a lot of money invested in Connell," McCann said. "If we can save him, our goal should be to save him — on a personal level as well as a professional level. Being a cop is stressful, we owe it to try to help our employees get through their personal demons." Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.