Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer confirms he has placed his second in command, Deputy Police Commissioner Matthew Nichols on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation into the use of force.
Dwyer says the incident happened with a man who was under arrest for shoplifting. Sources tell 7 Investigator Jim Kiertzner that Nichols hit the man and the man was given medical treatment. Sources also say 3 uniformed officers were also interviewed in the investigation and there could be bodycam video and audio that is part of the case. Sources also say Nichols did not fill out a use of force form that is protocol in Warren.
Dwyer says he did not know about Nichols involvement at the beginning. Dwyer says Nichols was put on leave immediately after being interviewed in the investigation on Wednesday.
Nichols has been in the Warren Police Department close to 20 years and has been named as a defendant in past lawsuits against the City of Warren in which victims were paid money damages. Commissioner Dwyer says those will be taken into consideration when he makes a final decision on Nichols.
Nichols was appointed Deputy Police Commissioner by Warren Mayor Jim Fouts before Dwyer returned a second time to work as Commissioner. Fouts tells 7 Action News he didn't know about Nichols' past incidents and is referring the media to talk with Dwyer in this case. Fouts says this case is up to Dwyer to decide.
