Cincinnati Police Captain Charged Federally

CINCINNATI – A Captain with the Cincinnati Police Department was arrested yesterday afternoon on a charge of theft and bribery.

Michael Savard, 52, of Anderson Township, appeared in court today at 1pm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Litkovitz. The case was unsealed at that time.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, William Cheung, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation and Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac announced the charge.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Savard is a 25-year veteran of the Cincinnati police force. He has served as a captain overseeing the Special Services Section for approximately two years and was a lieutenant for 14 years.

While under investigation by the IRS and Cincinnati Police for potential criminal offenses related to financial benefits received as a result of his employment with the Cincinnati Police Department, it is alleged that Savard asked for and received $5,000 from a sergeant within the police department in exchange for Savard’s promise to retire from the Cincinnati Police Department so that the sergeant could be promoted to the rank of lieutenant.

The sergeant was next in line on a promotion eligibility list that was due to expire this month. Unless promoted prior to the expiration of the promotion eligibility list, the sergeant would have to retake a civil service promotional exam and might then lose his currently-held top position on the promotion list.

It is alleged that Savard told the sergeant he was going to work out a deal to plead guilty to federal charges and was thinking of retiring in July. He allegedly told the sergeant he would retire earlier – in June, prior to the sergeant’s expiration on the promotion list – if the sergeant paid Savard $5,000.

Savard accepted the $5,000 in cash yesterday and was immediately arrested by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation division, working in conjunction with the Cincinnati Police Department.

Theft and bribery is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the IRS Criminal Investigation and Cincinnati Police Department, as well as Deputy Criminal Chief Karl P. Kadon and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Singer, who are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

We are unable to comment further on the federal investigation, as it is ongoing.

# # #