GRATIS, Ohio — The Ohio Police chief who visited Cincinnati-area schools allegedly on behalf of ICE has been fired, WLWT reported.
Chief Tonina Lamanna had been placed on leave for nearly a month following the incident. The Gratis Village Council voted 4-2 to remove her as chief on May 28.
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Lamanna and another officer, Jeffrey Baylor, traveled more than an hour to visit three schools. There, Lamanna allegedly claimed to be conducting “wellness checks” on behalf of ICE.
Baylor, who resigned following the incident along with another Gratis officer, told WLWT that he accompanied Lamanna only as a backup officer and did not speak with school personnel.
“I did not insinuate that I have a federal license or that I am there on behalf of any federal agency,” Baylor said. “She handled all the talking.”
Following the incident, the city announced it indefinitely suspended its 287(g) agreement. ICE stated the visits were not an enforcement action and did not involve federal officers.
The staff departures leave the Gratis Police Department with only five officers, WLWT reported. The Village of Gratis has a population of less than 1,000, with the surrounding Township area containing around 4,200 residents, according to the 2020 census.
