Legal Question in Civil Rights Law in Ohio

Police harasment

My question is that can a Police Chief act as a bill collector ? . I recieved a call from the Chief of Police telling me that if I didn't pay the $42 that I owed to Pat he was going to write up a police report on me by the end of the day . When I tried to tell him why I wasn't going to pay it , the Chief told me that he didn't care about why . He just told me to pay it or he would write me up . Not knowing what to do I went and paid it and then called the Board of Trustee's and told them about Chief of Police calling me and acting like a bill collector , they told me that he is not allowed to do that . So I wrote a letter explaining what happen to the Trustee's about the Chief and they would get back with me . When they did get back to me they told me that he read a law that gave him a right to call anyone about an un piad bill , I asked them what law was that and they would not tell me . I have talked to a few other officers here in Ohio as well as Debbie Cook in which is a State Judge in Columbus and they told me that he had no right to call me . I feel that my rights as a citizen was violated can you help me understand or give me advice on what I should do ?

--name removed--


Asked on 6/15/02, 8:46 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Charles Aspinwall Charles S. Aspinwall, J.D., LLC

Re: Police harasment

The chief of police should not be acting as a bill collector, and an unpaid bill is not a police matter and should not result in any official "report." Complaining to the Board of Trustees formally, and in writing, is your remedy, as they are the ultimate authority in your situation. Be persistent. Make sure everything is in writing and that you keep a copy of everything. Send a copy of your complaint to the newspaper and the judge. Be prepared to stay with it for as long as it takes, or don't start.

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Answered on 6/16/02, 5:21 am


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