A female police chief has been fired for posing as an immigration officer to perform 'wellness checks' on Cincinnati schoolchildren.
Police chief Tonina Lamanna, 48, took officer Jeffrey Baylor, 42, an hour from their jurisdiction in Gratis, near Dayton, to Cincinnati, Ohio, and asked to speak with children about their immigration status, it has emerged.
The duo went into three schools where Lamanna claimed she was under the jurisdiction of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and was conducting a 'wellness check' to gain access to enrollment information. The duo were caught on surveillance cameras making enquiries.
ICE has denied any involvement with Lamanna, telling the Daily Mail the organization 'does not target schools for enforcement actions.'
'A local law enforcement partner attempted to verify school enrollment and conduct welfare checks on children who arrived unaccompanied across the border,' an ICE spokesperson said.
'To be crystal clear, this was not an ICE officer or an enforcement action.'
Superintendent Shauna Murphy said Lamanna and Baylor were not allowed to see any of the children they were performing 'wellness checks' on during the April 15 visits, Fox 19 reported.
Both Lamanna and Baylor were placed on administrative leave after other law enforcement agencies reported their actions.
Gratis Police chief Tonina Lamanna, 48, has been fired after she conducted 'wellness checks' at three Cincinnati schools claiming to work for ICE
Lamanna and officer Jeffrey Baylor, 42, are captured on surveillance footage at one of the schools
'I did not insinuate that I have a federal license or that I am there on behalf of any federal agency,' Baylor told local outlet WLWT. 'She handled all the talking.'
He has since resigned from the force over the controversy.
The Gratis Police Department has suspended its partnership with ICE since this.
On Thursday, Gratis Village Council voted 4-2 to fire Lamanna. Interim police chief Matt Jones will continue to lead the force, which is now down to five active officers, until village officials pick a new chief, WHIO reported.
The council cited Lamanna's 'poor judgment, failure of leadership, and mismanagement of departmental responsibilities' as reasons for terminating her.
Many social media users criticized her for posing an immigration officer, with one calling it 'sick.'
'That’s some bs!' another wrote.
'Bravo to Cincinnati Public Schools for protecting their students!!' a third wrote.
Lamanna, who previously worked as a police officer in Dayton, sued the City of Dayton for defamation and retaliation in 2022
Baylor, who was placed on administrative leave with Lamanna, has since resigned
Lamanna was recently honored at an Ohio State Highway Patrol Training Academy graduation ceremony in Columbus in January for completing the law enforcement executive course.
In 2022, Lamanna, who worked as a police officer in Dayton at the time, sued the City of Dayton for defamation and retaliation.
She said she was put on the city's Brady's List, a database of names of officers accused of misconduct, without being notified.
Lamanna was fired for allegedly lying about accessing personal files. Her case was dismissed.
At an April 2024 council meeting in Gratis, former police chief George Schlub heaped praise on Lamanna as he announced she would become his assistant chief.
According to The Register-Herald, he said: 'Sergeant Lamanna has been in police work since 1998. She comes to Gratis with many years of experience, training and expertise, latest as a school resource officer.
'She currently has started a canine program right here in the village of Gratis. She has written several grants to fund the police department with equipment.
'We’ve actually gotten one of those I’ve been told so far. She’s in charge of training and she is she runs interference for me.'
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The council cited Lamanna's 'poor judgment, failure of leadership, and mismanagement of departmental responsibilities' as reasons for terminating her
He added: 'She currently runs her own business as a dog groomer, teaches at Butler Tech, teaches Middle East dance to youth, volunteers for local fire department working an arson dog. And on top of that she works here.'
Interim Chief Jones told the Daily Mail: 'The GPD views recent events as opportunity. We’re examining every aspect of the department and demanding improvements, starting with complete transparency with Village Administration.
'It’s regrettable that the GPD has brought undeserved negative attention to Gratis. We appreciate everyone’s grace as we work through this transition.'
The Daily Mail has reached out to Lamanna and Baylor for further comment.
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