By Jan Skutch
A former Savannah-Chatham police official on Thursday
alleged that city, county and police officials knew of corrupt departmental
conduct and allowed it to continue well before it erupted with the abrupt
retirement of Chief Willie Lovett in September.
Allegations by former Major Mark Gerbino were contained in a
so-called ante litem letter filed by attorney Will Claiborne and included for
the first time County Manager Russ Abolt, former City Manager Michael Brown and
former city manager Rochelle Small-Toney in connection with alleged injuries.
A second letter filed Thursday by Claiborne for Robert
vonLoewenfeldt contains the same basic allegations.
The letters are considered notices of intent to sue and are
the ninth and tenth filed by Claiborne for a client who alleges he or she was
the victim of misconduct by Lovett and others on the force.
The latest letters allege that as a result of conduct by the
people named, Gerbino and vonLoewenfeldt suffered damages including retaliation
for reporting corruption and/or illegal activity by Lovett and others and
placing the officers in false light.
In his letter, Gerbino alleged illegal activity included:
• Lovett, receipt of payment for a no-show off-duty job,
gambling, obstruction of a gambling investigation, obstruction of narcotics
investigations, ordering department internal affairs officers to dismiss
meritorious complaints, obstruction of domestic violence investigations and
manipulation of crime statistics.
• Capt. Hank Wiley and Sgt. Cleveland Lovett, dismissing
meritorious internal affairs complaints and ignoring illegal activity by
department officers.
• Former Sgt. Malik Khaalis, obstruction of narcotics
investigations
• Former Star Cpl. Willet Williams, engaging in the sale or
trade of illegal narcotics and obstruction of a narcotics investigation.
“Our preliminary investigation of Mr. Gerbino’s claim has revealed
that some or all of the allegations … were known by individuals responsible for
the governance and oversights of the (police department), including, but not
limited to County Manager Russ Abolt, former city manager Michael Brown and
former city manager Rochelle Small-toney,” the letter stated.
vonLoewenfeldt’s letter identified only Khaalis and Williams
in connection with specific alleged illegal activity but added Sgt. Eric
Henderson for engaging in the sale or trade of illegal narcotics, obstruction
of a narcotics investigation and harboring a federal fugitive.
Gerbino, 62, was brought in by former police chief Michael
Berkow in July 2008 and left the force in mid-2011. He went on to become chief
of police in Americus before leaving in mid-2013 amid alleged work force
misconduct. He was hired in October as police chief at Savannah Technical
College.
vonLoewenfeldt, 42, joined the local force in October 2000
and left April 1, 2013