NEWARK — A veteran police officer with the Newark Police Department has been suspended 180 hours without pay after he took sick time and was later seen drinking at a bar after the legal serving hours.
Officer Adam Pfannenschmidt called off of his shift July 20, but was seen 13 hours later, around 5 a.m. July 21, at the Harry Beasley Lounge in Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 127, consuming alcohol.
According to an internal investigation report obtained by The Advocate as part of a quarterly review, the sergeant on duty on July 21 was driving in the area of the FOP Lodge and noticed lights on in the building and cars in the parking lot around 5 a.m. when the lodge typically was not open.
The sergeant went inside through an unlocked door and found Pfannenschmidt with a beer in his hand and three other individuals inside the lounge area. Pfannenschmidt told the sergeant he had permission to be in the facility. The sergeant ordered Pfannenschmidt, the other man and two women, who were identified in the report as dancers at Club2K, out of the lounge. One of the women was identified as being Pfannenschmidt’s girlfriend.
During an interview with officers conducting the internal investigation, Pfannenschmidt said about 12 beers had been consumed and had not been paid for. Pfannenschmidt offered to pay for the drinks after the interview.
Pfannenschmidt said he was a trustee of the FOP Lodge and had a key to the facility, which is how the individuals got into the building after it had closed for the night.
In a follow-up interview, Pfannenschmidt said he had been in the lodge with one of the females after hours about 10 times in the past year. The drinks were put on a tab the other nine times, the internal investigation said.
On Aug. 9, Chief Steven Sarver found two allegations sustained against Pfannenschmidt and requested a predisciplinary hearing. That hearing was held Sept. 4.
Safety Director William Spurgeon imposed a 180 hour suspension without pay effective at 5 p.m. Oct. 3 for Pfannenschmidt’s misconduct.
According to previous internal investigations obtained by The Advocate, Pfannenschmidt and another officer were given a written reprimand in 2010 for being involved in a pursuit on Linden Avenue at a high rate of speed for about a minute.
In 2012, Pfannenschmidt was suspended for 40 hours without pay after lying to his supervisor about an injury sustained during a bar fight that resulted in an extended use of sick time.
Sarver said Pfannenschmidt has been with the department since December 2007 and “does a good job on a day-to-day basis.” Pfannenschmidt is a member of the department’s honor guard.
“His performance evaluations have been OK throughout the time he’s been here,” Sarver said.
Sarver said an agreement on the punishment was reached between the Ohio Labor Council, Newark’s Human Resources Director and Spurgeon that Pfannenschmidt would not contest the punishment.
Pfannenschmidt will be eligible to return to work Nov. 2.
A message requesting comment from the Licking County Fraternal Order of Police president was not returned by press time.
Also receiving discipline, according to internal investigations, were the following:
• Two detectives received oral reprimands for failing to give a Miranda warning to a suspect who later confessed.
• A patrol officer received an oral reprimand for taking time off without prior permission.
• A communications officer received a verbal warning for failing to dispatch an officer to a report of a bicyclist riding erratically in the road.