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When the prostitutes didn't show up to testify in court, the charges were dropped. But Brown kept his job — and kept abusing his power. He was cited for watching online porn at work and for trying to pick up women at a local hotel. He also falsified a report, then tried to get another officer to lie for him.

Lockhart twice recommended that Brown be fired. Instead, Broadie promoted him to detective and eventually sergeant.

Then there was John Patterson. In 2003, the black officer was off duty when he spotted a woman driving erratically in Mayfield Heights. Rather than call Mayfield police, Patterson trailed the driver. When the terrified woman finally pulled over in a parking lot, Patterson approached, telling her, "Stop your vehicle — if you hit me, I'll shoot you," according to Patterson's personnel file. The woman, not knowing whether Patterson was a real cop or not, started crying. The mayor laughed off the incident, giving Patterson a one-day suspension.

Meanwhile, Mark Ramsey was working under far more stringent supervision.

Since Broadie's meeting with Lockhart, she hadn't bothered to hide her distaste for the white officer. She referred to him publicly as a "nasty individual," Lockhart claims. And where she was lenient with black officers, she was quick to bring the hammer down on whites.

In 2002, white officer Tim Ellis approached Ramsey for permission to change a light bulb in his cruiser. But removing equipment from a police car is illegal. When Lockhart found out about the infraction, he thought the officer deserved a verbal reprimand, and that Ramsey should be given a gentle reminder of the rules.

But the mayor had other ideas. She told Lockhart to suspend Ellis for a day without pay. Then she ordered the same for Ramsey.

Lockhart was disgusted. "The mayor never did anything to a black sergeant when one of their guys did something wrong," he says. The racism was "blatant."

Broadie hadn't hired him to be police chief, he came to realize. She'd hired him to be her henchman. It was a role that Lockhart refused. But when he started standing up for white officers, Broadie set the dogs on him.

After graduating from the Cleveland Heights Police Academy in 2001, Amy Mengay spent frustrating months searching for a job. So when Woodmere called, offering a part-time slot, she went looking for champagne.

Mengay's father wasn't as excited. He worried about Amy being one of the few women on the job. But Mengay swatted away his concerns. She was a tomboy; she'd been playing with the boys all her life.

The Mengays never considered that her gender wouldn't be the issue. The problem was her pale, sunburn-prone skin.

On one of her first days on the job, a colleague told her to "watch her back" because "the mayor's a racist," she says. A black police officer whispered to the chief's assistant that the mayor "had it in for" the white officer.

Mengay dismissed the words as hyperbole. "I was just so excited to have a job, I didn't really notice the racism at first."

In her first six months, Mengay received stellar reviews. Soon, she was promoted to full-time. The mayor would glare at her in the hallways and refuse to acknowledge her in public, but there was no real harm done, Mengay thought.

But in 2003, Mengay sideswiped a colleague's car while backing her cruiser out of the lot. It was barely scratched, but the accident resulted in the officer's first write-up. Lockhart gently told her to be more careful.

Seven months later, Mengay was cruising down Chagrin when a 16-year-old, ignoring a stop sign, barreled into the side of Mengay's car, crushing it like a soda can. When Ramsey, Lockhart, and insurance agents investigated the crash, all determined that the teenager had been solely at fault.

Then the officer dented her bumper on a telephone pole, causing $808 in damage. Lockhart gave Mengay a written reprimand, but he wasn't really concerned. When you spend 40 hours a week driving a cruiser, minor accidents are "standard," the chief says. So he was wholly unprepared for the mayor's response.

In July of 2004, Broadie summoned Lockhart to her office. "I want you to fire Amy," she told him. She had determined that Mengay was a "safety liability."

Lockhart knew Mengay wasn't perfect, but "others were much worse." Lockhart considered it the mayor's most blatant act of racism yet, and he refused to take part. "I won't do it," the chief replied.

The mayor looked at him with surprise, then narrowed her eyes. "If you don't fire her, I'm going to fire you," she said.

A short time later, the mayor handed Mengay a pink slip. She left Lockhart alone for the time being, but their relationship noticeably cooled.

Mengay, however, refused to leave quietly. She hired a lawyer and demanded an appeal hearing with the village council. The mayor began to backpedal. If Mengay agreed to go on probation and signed a release agreeing not to sue, she could have her job back. But Mengay knew that "probation" only meant the mayor would be on her like a pit bull, and she'd soon be back in the same situation. She refused the deal.

At the hearing, both Lockhart and Mengay's partner, Tim Ellis, testified that her firing was unwarranted. It didn't sway the council. Daniel Nutaitis, the sole white member, was the only one who voted to save Mengay's job.

Now the mayor turned her sights on Ellis. A few hours after the hearing, Broadie called Ellis to her office. She fired him for showing "disrespect toward superior officers" and giving "testimony that we believe is untruthful." She also accused Ellis of irresponsibly tasering an unruly motorist — though superiors had already ruled the incident justified.

"The reason I got fired," Ellis says, "was, I didn't give the council the answers the mayor was looking for in the hearing." And he knew the effects of appealing to the council for justice.

He and Mengay both filed discrimination charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), an agency that rules in favor about 10 percent of the time. But the EEOC declared that both had been unfairly fired. When its investigators met with Woodmere officials to work out a deal, however, council members walked out.

Write Your Comment show comments (24)

  1. I read this earlier today...really interesting. My first reaction was that while she is wrong for discrimination...whites have doing things like this (perhaps not so blatantly) for years...they call it the "Good Ol' Boy System".

    Comment by D. E. — October 25, 2007 @ 12:17PM

  2. I read this earlier today...really interesting. My first reaction was that while she is wrong for discrimination...whites have doing things like this (perhaps not so blatantly) for years...they call it the "Good Ol' Boy System".

    Comment by D. E. — October 25, 2007 @ 12:17PM

  3. If you think this is bad you should do some research on what is going on in East Cleveland with the mayor. "Absolute power, corrupts absolutely". Somethings never change.

    Comment by C.W. — October 25, 2007 @ 12:58PM

  4. So it's ok to use your power to discriminate against white people as long as it isn't black people because of what a few white people did along time ago ? Or is using someone's skin tone against them only acceptable when they're from the north of the equater ? People like you help keep the racial tension alive. And also create many racists as well.

    Comment by Erik — October 25, 2007 @ 03:55PM

  5. Erik wrote:

    "So it's ok to use your power to discriminate against white people as long as it isn't black people because of what a few white people did along time ago?"

    First of all, it's NOT "OK" to discriminate against ANYONE.

    Secondly, are you living in the Land of Oz?!? What makes you think that discimination from whites - against people of color - happened "a long time ago"?!?!?!?!? This happens EVERYDAY, still, all across the country.

    I'm not saying this to justify what this person has done. There is NO justification for that. I only wanted to remind you to come back to reality.

    WE are ALL responsible for making things better, racially. It's time to STOP PLAYING THE "BLAME GAME"!

    Wake up! Racism, from ANYONE is still simply called RACISM. There is NO such thing as "Reverse Racism."

    Please. We need to get rid of that term, once and for all. Racism is Racism, regardless of who is being racist. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS "REVERSE RACISM." That is a total and complete fallacy.

    Comment by Lazarus Banks — October 25, 2007 @ 04:25PM

  6. I worked there and everything that has been said is true, and now its even worse because the new Chief will do anything she says, even though he knows its wrong........................Ask the last two officers whom quit Woodmere. I believe they would talk if someone asked them too, and could help out with any case.

    Comment by Private — October 25, 2007 @ 05:44PM

  7. The only thing wrong with this article is the title -- racism is racism is racism, there's no such thing as 'reverse racism.' What's more, as a black woman -- hell, as a human being -- I am thoroughly disgusted with this woman. Her so-called attempts to empower blacks only results in us having to work harder to prove ourselves, and the fact that this country's history is what it is is certainly no excuse. Discrimination is disgusting in all its forms.

    I found one thing to be very interesting, however; at one point the woman (who doesn't deserve the title 'mayor') said, "I have friends who are white, doctors who are white...even my law director is white."

    This is generally the same line white people throw out to "prove" their diversity. If a person's race was really of no consequence to her, she wouldn't be keeping count.

    Comment by B — October 25, 2007 @ 05:55PM

  8. This woman is disgusting. She is breeding racism. Can you imagine being an young idealistic white person and dealing with this train-wreck of a mayor? You might start second guessing your open-mindedness. I hope the DOJ takes over this disaster of a police department and sends the racist mayor packing.

    Comment by Ray — October 26, 2007 @ 10:34AM

  9. So the mayor doesn't know of any other officer that have gotten in that many accidents. How about Fire Chief James Cartwright who was backing in the ambulance while drinking on the job and backed into the garage doors that he had forgotten open up due to his being drunk. You want to investigate someone, he's the man.

    Comment by Bob — October 26, 2007 @ 11:06PM

  10. Rebecca- I thought that your article was very well done!I enjoy reading your stuff! I strongly suggest you read the short book REDEMPTION,BY Nicholas Leman. I really think that every junior high and highschool kid should have to read this. If I had kids, I'd make them read it! Things really have not changed much since the Civil War. There will alaways be racism. Somethings just can't be changed.

    Comment by Rob — October 27, 2007 @ 03:15PM

  11. Read this article knowing that Rebecca Meiser tends to exaggerate everything. Maybe she is being completely even-handed and journalistically unbiased, but more than likely, half of the so-called "facts" in her report are fabricated for ratings and shock value. Get a life Ms. Meiser.

    Comment by Eric — October 28, 2007 @ 02:08PM

  12. Face it people: blacks dont like whites, whites dont like blacks, jews dont like arabs, arabs dont like jewsm shiites dont like kurds, kurds dont like shiites....the list goes on. Its a fact of life. It is that way in every culture and in every nation. It has been that way for thousands of years and it will stay that way for thousands of years. Quit crying about how you are getting screwed "just because", pick yourself up and move on!

    Comment by Kenny — October 28, 2007 @ 03:58PM

  13. This article is not all true. Rebecca Meiser is a 3rd rate reporter who has to creat lies and add untruths to all of her stories...I use to work there, and let me tell u lockhart's no angel. This story is so bogus its crazy to read and quite funny at times. Meiser u should be working for the national inqurer ur such a joke yourself..

    Comment by jay — October 29, 2007 @ 06:54AM

  14. wow- now we are resorting to calling the reporter names, unbelieveable. I as a woodmere resident know for a fact that the article was extremely accurate with it tending to leave out quite abit more of the corruption that is really going on there. As for chief Lockhart not being an angel......No hes a saint to have put up with the stuff that went on there without the backup of administration. At his appeal hearing there were chiefs from all over showing there support for him knowing what a class act man of integrity he truly is.He was excellent at what he did as chief and is continuing his excellence at his new job. Now lets just put a stop to wrongs and make things right. Know that this mayor does not reflect the opinions or the intelligence of the residents of this village!

    Comment by breeze — October 29, 2007 @ 11:31AM

  15. It looks as though, or should I say, it reads as though, someone's camp has gotten word of the article and is attempting to do a little "crowd control"; "Jay's" comment at 6:54am-nonetheless, very telling... As someone quite familiar with this village, it's safety forces, and administration, I can say that this article is true and that Ms. Meiser didn't need to fabricate anything, as she's been accused of doing. Should one care enough to know the facts prior to name calling and belittling the reporter, one only needs to do some light and simple research. They'd quickly find that, in fact, much was left out that supports the conclusion already reached by the EEOC, (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) and the United States Department of Justice, both of whom investigated the Mayor and the Village of Woodmere and found that this discrimination and retaliation did take place. And for "Kenny" who thinks all races hate each other, and that's just how it is, that is extremely sad, and you must have grown up in a hateful environment. You are obviously not familiar with this case or this Village. Without people willing to stand up for what is right, there would be no change and hate would prevail. As Martin Luther King Jr once said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

    Comment by J.S. — October 29, 2007 @ 02:47PM

  16. "And for "Kenny" who thinks all races hate each other, and that's just how it is, that is extremely sad, and you must have grown up in a hateful environment. You are obviously not familiar with this case or this Village."

    I grew up in a very loving environment. I grew up liking and trusting alot of people. But, look at the world! If you are white, go hang out in a bar in East Cleveland for a night. If you are black, hang out in one in Chagrin Falls. People like others who are similar to themselves. I have seen it here and have seen it when I visited Europe.

    I am familiar with Woodmere. I have friends who work(or who have worked)for the safety forces there. It's a screwed up town. Thank God I am far away from it.

    Comment by kenny — October 29, 2007 @ 07:11PM

  17. Refering to comment number 13. This article is completely true. As a former employee of Woodmere, I am relieved that someone finally brought this womans injustices into the light. I saw everything that was happening within the police department, as well as the department that I worked for. The corruption trickels down throughought all of the city leadership. Chief Lockhart was the only honest department head as far as I can tell. The only reason that he was singled out was that he had the gusto to stand against the mayor when she was wrong.

    Comment by The Nameless Ex Employee — November 1, 2007 @ 08:51AM

  18. I have yet to see anyone write a comment stating that these allegations are false...so lets not worry about who is black and who is white in this case, lets just worry about how to bring this to justice

    Comment by B.P. — November 7, 2007 @ 11:06PM

  19. Everyone has their flaw and so does every city. Igrew up in Woodmere and I heard stories of corruption with the police and have seen unfairness with higher ups in the city, what do you expect people are the product of their environment. I am not supprised at this crap going on in the city I love because of private encounters.
    Woodmere is a wonderful city, peaceful and loving full of wonderful friendly people both black and white.
    I am sure that the police chief was not perfect but I am confident that he did not earn the treatment that he received(none of them did). For sure the city is very good to its residents and the residents love the city, but we should not treat anybody a certain way because of color PERIOD it's wrong. Here's my two cents.
    MNo

    Comment by mark — November 13, 2007 @ 01:33AM

  20. Everyone has their flaw and so does every city. Igrew up in Woodmere and I heard stories of corruption with the police and have seen unfairness with higher ups in the city, what do you expect people are the product of their environment. I am not supprised at this crap going on in the city I love because of private encounters.
    Woodmere is a wonderful city, peaceful and loving full of wonderful friendly people both black and white.
    I am sure that the police chief was not perfect but I am confident that he did not earn the treatment that he received(none of them did). For sure the city is very good to its residents and the residents love the city, but we should not treat anybody a certain way because of color PERIOD it's wrong. Here's my two cents.
    MNo

    Comment by mark — November 13, 2007 @ 01:38AM

  21. Everyone has their flaw and so does every city. Igrew up in Woodmere and I heard stories of corruption with the police and have seen unfairness with higher ups in the city, what do you expect people are the product of their environment. I am not supprised at this crap going on in the city I love because of private encounters.
    Woodmere is a wonderful city, peaceful and loving full of wonderful friendly people both black and white.
    I am sure that the police chief was not perfect but I am confident that he did not earn the treatment that he received(none of them did). For sure the city is very good to its residents and the residents love the city, but we should not treat anybody a certain way because of color PERIOD it's wrong. That's my two cents.
    MNo

    Comment by mark — November 13, 2007 @ 01:40AM

  22. I am sorry Woodmere should be merged with Orange, Chagrin needs a couple well placed parking garages and the whole strip could be redeveloped to reflect the style of Eaton.
    Less parking lots widen chagrin to prevent traffic jams and disconnect all the side streets from Chagrin. An east west road could connect all those north south road to Brainard.

    The Village is mismanaged the area is highly developable, this mayor prevent her own citizens from benefiting from the potential equity, the area is gold potential gold mine.

    Her highness should be dethroned, all she manages is to hold the area hostage.

    Comment by oengus — December 14, 2007 @ 02:41AM

  23. Not to bring children into this but, it is a shame that this mayor has a younger daughter who is beginning to follow in her mothers footsteps. A product of her own society (her mothers household), now she too is being led into a world of racism without even having the chance to learn and grow on her own. She IS learning from her own mother who learned from her mother and so on, it won't end in that home. I am ashamed to say it but I used to work for that department, I have long since moved on in my career and am not a "woodie for life" as Old Dirty Bastard Mesia Brown and others may want believe. Some of the things that I witnessed there was just outright BS. You want to talk about a power trip or abuse of power, lets talk about certain officers being the only officers on the road for a 8 hour shift and being designated to drive the mayor to her physical therapy appointments in WESTLAKE, in a woodmere squad car, using gas payed for by woodmere. These appointments would last upwards of 5 hours, this officer would then be requested to either wait outside in the car or go drive around westlake in a woodmere cruiser for this time period. Blatant abuse of her position. Woodmere needs to be cleaned out, divided in half and taken over by Orange and Pepper Pike.

    Comment by Ex Employee — December 21, 2007 @ 08:57AM

  24. Those of you who think or say that the Mayor is completly at fault for this mess has no ideal of what your talking about. It's interesting to read all of the negative comments about Woodmere and the Mayor that seem to only be comming from former employees who had their own ax to grind. Get over getting fired, or forced to resign or quitting. Lockhart is a joke. He's not a man but a punk who can't even walk right. Yea thats right. He's carrying a gun for RTA and couldn't pass his range qual. Someone should look into this and call Tom Meyers or Carl Monday to investigate that. Im not saying the Mayor is a great person she has major issues but The two Officers (both white) should have gotten fired, not because they were white but because they deserved it. Get over it and get a life loosers

    Comment by Keisha Sanders — March 31, 2008 @ 01:32PM

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