20 part-time officers were brought on board to provide 24-hour coverage, and Chief John Barco was brought on as the only full-time officer.

Some of the officers were from the department before its closure in 2023, others came from other departments in the valley.

A quarter of the Newton Falls officers have something in common: they've either been fired or forced out of other departments. Some of the officers were forced to leave departments more than once. 

A letter 21 News obtained from the Girard Police Department shows officer Timothy Podgorny resigned from their department after an investigation found he struck another vehicle with a cruiser and then lied repeatedly about it. 

Also, officer Vincent Lombardo was fired from the Portage County Police Department for having a sexual relationship with an inmate. 

Officer Michael Brown was fired from both Summa Health in 2023 and the Youngstown Police Department in 2021.

Lastly, officer Joshua Soles was fired from Summa Health in May of 2025. He had previously resigned from the Braceville Police Department in 2024 in lieu of termination. 

One who was caught in the center of a falsified corruption claim at the Lordstown Police Department is Officer Joseph Keough, who resigned in February 2024. Keough told 21 News that his reason for resignation involved disagreements with how the department was being run.

Before his departure, Keough was also involved in making a recording under false pretenses in an effort to get his superior officers in trouble.  

Julie Lemon, a vocal Newton Falls Resident resident, brought her concerns about the officers’ past up to police, council and to 21 News. 

At the meeting, Lemon said she was told all the officers are vetted before being hired.

“Council has sat there, the police chief has sat there, and the city manager have all said, these have all been vetted. I challenge that statement, because I don't believe they have been vetted. And I think the people of Newton Falls deserve better,” said Lemon.

Despite these officers' documented histories, when 21 News asked law director Jeff Limbian if they were investigating the officers, he said no because of who that information came from, saying “consider the source.” 

“Ignoring a problem or ignoring a citizen and bringing you information and just not responding to it doesn't make it less of a problem. It actually creates a bigger problem, and I think the people of Newton Falls deserve better than that,” said Lemon.”It's kind of alarming to have an officer with dishonesty on their jacket.”

21 News reached out to Chief Barco multiple times, but did not get a response.