Jason Garlock, a Sergeant With the Lima Police Department

Jason Garlock, a sergeant with the Lima Police Department for 23 years, was placed on paid administrative leave on February 7th 2014 while awaiting results of his fitness for duty exam.

He began as an officer in September 1991 and was promoted to Sergeant by January 2006. Since then, he has been responsible for ensuring all officers remain up to date on their training, including how to handle K-9s properly.

His duties include conducting officer training classes, composing police reports and performing other administrative tasks. Furthermore, he offers assistance to the public with their issues.

Jason Garlock is employed at the Department as well as serving on the Board of Directors for Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and Allen County Law Enforcement Standards Commission.

Jason Garlock has extensive investigative experience, having handled a wide variety of cases throughout his career. A highly trained investigator, Jason has built strong working relationships with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

He is an expert in all areas of investigation, from locating suspects and identifying witnesses to interviewing them and aiding with crime scene reconstruction. His experience includes working for the FBI, Drug Task Force and Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

Jason Garlock has been at the center of several high-profile cases over the last several years, including a wrongful death suit involving an officer who killed a woman and her 14-month old son at their home. This led to protests by community leaders and residents on Chicago’s south side–where most black people reside–about this case.

Due to the shooting in Lima, there has been an increased sense of distrust and tension between its African-American and white residents. Some local leaders are calling for a police complaint review board to investigate suspected police abuse cases and hold officials accountable.

Mayor David Berger is confident the department is doing its job and responding to complaints from residents. He noted a variety of initiatives taken by the department to boost police accountability, such as installing in-car video cameras and encouraging ride-alongs for residents to get an up-close view of an officer’s work.

The mayor indicated he is open to creating a citizen review board. This body would include residents and government officials who could file appeals and conduct independent investigations.

The mayor’s statement comes as the family of a black woman still seeks justice for their death at the hands of a white police officer. Her name was Janice Wilson and she was shot by a Lima SWAT team while standing outside holding 14-month-old Sincere. A long list of complaints against police misconduct and racial profiling has sparked protests and rallies by community leaders who are calling for the cleaning up of Wards 5 and 6 as well as an improved response time from police to residents’ needs.