VIENNA TWP., Ohio - Governor Mike DeWine is looking for solutions to what he calls a "rouge," person or officer being fired from one department then being hired at another. He made his comments about the protests we've seen in Ohio and around the country over the recent death of George Floyd in police custody. This is a problem we have to address.

Some people believe that scenario is playing out locally. Back in September of 2017, 21 News broke the story of a Trumbull County Corrections Officer at the Sheriff's department who was fired for excessive use of force. 

Now some people asking questions of Vienna Township Trustees regarding the recent hiring of Christopher Zadroski.

Zadroski has had two departments pass on hiring him, in part due to events captured on a Trumbull County jail surveillance video on August 24, 2017.

Corrections Officer Zadroski is not the guard dragging an uncooperative inmate Solomon Cindea across the jail floor. But an internal investigation by the Trumbull Sheriff's Office found Zadroski struck the inmate twice with a hard fist while the inmate was cuffed and shackled held on the floor by four officers in an area of the jail that had no cameras. He was fired for using excessive force.

Since then, Zadroski completed the Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy and was recently hired by Vienna Township Trustees to help keep the peace as a patrol officer.  Trustees told 21 News they were aware of Zadroski's past 

Township Trustee Richard Dascenzo, Jr. said, "With part-time officers, we go by the police chief's recommendations, like with do with other department heads.  He does the background checks, looks into references. We go by his recommendations. We will be watching the officer's performance, and he is under a six-month probationary period."


Trustee Philip Pegg emphasized, "If there had been criminal charges we would not have hired him, or if he had been charged with a Civil Rights violation, that would be an additional consideration. Three years had passed. He was a corrections officer then and had additional training. Zadorski went through the Peace Officers Training Academy. He passed their background check, and he was even recommended by the firearms training officer. We would not hire someone if we thought they would pose a danger to people in the community. It was my understanding this was an administrative charge. He is working with another officer and is part-time here."

The Trumbull Prosecutors' Office reviewed the case but did not proceed with criminal charges against the officers.

Corrections Officers had said the inmate was threatening to harm himself and them.  In the past, the victim settled a case against the county. Cindea admitted he was a drug addict and had talked back to the corrections officers, but emphasized he was no threat to anybody with his hands bound by cuffs, and legs shackled.