By Mike Johnson
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
CITY OF PEWAUKEE, Wisc. — The Police and Fire Commission has scheduled three days of hearings beginning next week to determine whether police Sgt. Cher Sneider should be fired over allegations she attempted to date a criminal suspect.
The hearings had been scheduled for August but were postponed because a commission member had a medical emergency, city officials said.
Acting Police Chief Daniel Meister filed administrative charges earlier this year against Sneider, accusing her of lying and inappropriate conduct. That conduct included trying to date a suspect under investigation, according to the charges.
Meister has requested that the commission fire Sneider. The commission, however, can impose lesser discipline.
Sneider has been on paid administrative leave since November.
Sneider’s attorney, Jennifer Dorow, has said that the charges are without merit and that Sneider will fight the allegations.
The hearings are scheduled for 3 p.m. Oct. 20, 21 and 26 in the council chambers at City Hall, W240 N3065 Pewaukee Road.
Sneider, while off duty, had an on-duty patrol officer on May 10, 2008, tap into a secure police database to get Sneider the phone number of a man who was under investigation by the department, according to administrative charges filed against her. Sneider wanted to call him so she could go out with him, the charging document says.
The man, identified only as John Doe in the document, was a city resident with a known criminal history with the department. At the time, city police were investigating him and his residence on suspicion of illegal activity, including illegal drugs, the charging document states.
Sneider has denied trying to have a relationship with the man. Dorow has said Sneider did have contact with the man, but only in an official capacity related to a noise complaint.
Copyright 2009 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel