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Local leaders seek transparency, calm after alleged false shooting claim

WARREN — Leaders of various black organizations are hoping the goodwill developed between the police department and community in recent years will not be derailed by a false accusation by now fired Warren police officer Noah Linnen that he was shot at by a black man when he attempted to help a stranded motorist.

Linnen, 23, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of tampering with evidence, inducing panic, disrupting public services and falsification based on an affidavit filed Tuesday that he fabricated a story of being shot at that led 10 law enforcement departments and at least 50 officers to search for an unidentified black male in a black SUV on Jan. 13.

“We were concerned from the very beginning, when the officer said he was shot by a person of color,” Warren Trumbull Urban League President Thomas Conley said. “We are not going to go backward. I felt there was a need to talk on behalf of the police department.”

“This was totally unacceptable behavior by the officer,” Conley said.

Conely said he is grateful for the relationship that now exists between the city police department and the black community since the U.S. Department of Justice came into Warren and a consent decree was established. The city came from under that consent decree last year.

Conley said Warren police Chief Eric Merkel and the administration have worked hard to build bridges between the city and its black community.

Merkel described himself as being both disgusted and angry about this situation.

“He pushed us back a little bit,” Merkel said. “We have a lot of relationships that will help push us past this.”

“We have come a long way,” he said. “He (Linnen) does not represent us. This is not who the police department is. The community should continue to have faith in us. Do not allow this one instance to define the relationship between the police and the community.”

Merkel said Linnen was fired and never will be heard from again.

“We have trainers in cultural diversity,” Merkel said. “We, working with other departments, took appropriate actions. We are going to move on.”

Warren Trumbull NAACP President Annette McCoy said because of the relationship that has been built with the Warren Police Department, she had faith a thorough investigation would be done.

“A lot of people in the community did not believe the allegations,” McCoy said. “We were waiting for the facts to be presented.”

McCoy said Merkel did the right thing in firing the officer.

“Hopefully, this will send a message to other police departments across the nation,” she said. “What the NAACP is asking for is every incident that this officer was involved with should be reviewed.”

The Rev. Todd Johnson, pastor of Second Baptist Church, said there was a sense of both skepticism and fear on the first night when the story of a police officer possibly being shot came out.

Johnson said he was near Pine Avenue with his children that night. Johnson said he was concerned because he fit the description of the suspect and drives a black SUV.

“There was a lot of fear and anger about how this may relate to an open season on young black males,” Johnson said. “You understand that when officers get a report that an officer has been shot and the assailant is trying to get away, that is not going to be a pleasant interaction.”

Johnson applauded the discretion of the law enforcement that made stops.

“I have not heard any stories that there were harrassments or people being abused,” he said.

Johnson, who served on the city’s civil service commission, said it is important for the administration to continue to be transparent and proactive.

Johnson said the city should release a full timeline of the events surrounding this incident, including what they knew and when.

“What were the resources that were exhausted and spent?” Johnson said. “How long was the ER locked down” Were other city services tied up in this?”

Warren Councilwoman Helen Rucker, D-at Large, said she was pleased with the heartfelt apology that Merkel gave to the community Wednesday morning, but added the people who were stopped and detained by police officers also should receive apologies.

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