Gratis police officer Jeff Baylor has turned in his resignation letter nearly a week after what transpired at some Cincinnati schools, the Gratis mayor’s office confirmed.
Gratis interm Police Chief Matt Jones also confirmed the resignation and that the department has suspended its partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement through Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
On April 15, Baylor, along with Gratis Police Chief Tonina Lamanna, went to three different Cincinnati Public Schools buildings for “wellness checks” on students, Superintendent Shauna Murphy previously said.
Lamanna claimed to be acting on Immigration and Customs Enforcement authority, according to Murphy.The Gratis chief and officer were not allowed to see any students, Murphy said.
Baylor said in a recent interview that he had some reservations about the trip to the Cincinnati schools.He said that Chief Lamanna ordered him to go with her as police backup.
“When you throw the word children and immigration into the same sentence, it becomes an extremely sensitive subject, and I completely understand that,” Baylor said. “I understand the public’s reaction to that, but right now all I can do is let the public know that my role in this was following the chain of command.”
The Village of Gratis said they were not made aware of Chief Lamanna’s actions before the operation and only found out when contacted by other law enforcement agencies, according to a release.
In the fallout since, Chief Lamanna and officer Baylor were put on administrative leave pending an investigation into the incident.
In a statement after an executive session, the administration says, “The Village of Gratis does not condone these actions. It is not the practice or policy of the Village to participate in law enforcement operations outside of our jurisdiction, particularly those occurring two counties away.”
The village council will vote on whether or not to approve Baylor’s resignation.
Fox 19 has reached out to Chief Lamanna for comment. She has not responded.
Enquirer media partner Fox 19 provided this report.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Gratis police officer resigns, village suspends ICE partnership
Reporting by Brady Williams and Jared Goffinet, Fox 19 / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
