Trenton Cop Reinstatement

Disagree with you Vet. The full story of course isn't in the paper. Here in Trenton everyone knew he would get his job back. One of the most blatant abuses of management around. Here is what happened and what the Judge surely saw.

Where was the police union in all of this?

Hello, Melissa Green here, the famous firefighter's wife who was issued the ticket!

I wasn't going to get involved in this but feel the need to defend mine and my husband's name.

I was issued a ticket for running a red light, this is correct. I felt that the ticket was issued improperly due to the fact that I was in the intersection waiting to clear the intersection when the light turned red, I did not blow through the light, but again waited for the intersection to clear, this was viewed on the cruiser camera video as well.   My husband went to the police station the next day as he wanted to see the cruiser camera video and himself along with the Lieutenant and Chief viewed the video and after the viewing, the ticket was taken back.   

There is history between this officer's brother and my husband as my husband does not care for his brother, they both were members of the football board and did not see eye to eye on several subjects.

AT NO TIME did my husband report to either of these officer's that he was a firefighter or ask for special treatment due to the fact that he was a firefighter.   

It has also been reported that my family is friends with the Lieutenant who voided the ticket, THIS IS NOT TRUE myself and my husband have never talked to this Lieutenant before this incident nor did our children play sports together as the officer in question wife indicated in another public forum.

After the ticket was voided, 2 weeks later this officer shows up at my home to issue me another ticket, I was not at home I was at a baseball game with my son in Dayton. My husband had just got off work and was in our garage with several neighbors. He came up to our porch and asked if I was at home, my husband advisd him that I was not at home, the officer asked when I would be returning, my husband advised he was not sure. This officer then, walks to the next door neighbor with a flashlight and begin's searching through their garage looking for me (this was all video taped by another neighbor) there were several neighbors who watched in disbelief that a police officer was searching through a neighbor's garage looking for this harden criminal who ran a red light! My husband again reports to him that I was not at home the officer and my husband said a few words back and fourth to each other and the officer then left.

The next day, I stopped by the police station on my way home from work and signed the ticket. I went to court and paid the fine for running the red light.

The officer and his wife are making accusations that my family is friends with this lieutenant and therefore, this is why the lieutenant voided the ticket they are also making it seem like my husband went to the police station and demanded the ticket be voided due to the fact that he is a firefighter, none of these statements are true! After the ticket was taken back and my husband was on his way out the door, the Lieutenant asked him if he was a police officer, my husband replied no he was a firefighter. So don't you think if we were such good friends with this Lieutenant he would know what kind of career my husband had?


I have to say I am disgusted with Journal News and their choice of words they have implied that this officer was fired over issuing a ticket to the wife of a firefighter which was clearly not the case, this officer was fired due to his actions that took place within the department and had nothing to do with issuing me a ticket.

And now, with Melissa's version, the game has changed yet again. Now, neither one of us are sure of what really happened.

We have a fewd going between people living in Trenton. Started with some disagreements concerning sports. Has escalated into a "stay away from each other" scenario. Probably won't end until one of the families moves out of town. Unfortunate to see but has happened many times before.

Sounds like the reporting newspaper didn't get their facts straight pertaining to either side. Dam liberal, left-leaning newspapers!

Just my opinion here, but it seems like all parties need to be put in time out for acting like children.  There really was no excuse for any of this to happen.  I would say a lot of us have received a ticket, feeling we did not deserve it.  That is why we are given a court date.  Melissa, I am not excusing the behavior of the officer, but is doesn't make sense to me that your husband would go into station, this should have been handled in the proper procedure.  2nd, I believe your husband may not have said he was an officer or firefighter - but something was said to lead  them to think so.  Which makes the common person think as Vet said "scratch your back" type attitude.

the court should decide who is guilty or not guilty on a ticket. It reeks of favoritism by a police boss when he pulls a ticket before it goes to court. Looks like Matala has his side and you has yours. The Judge sided with Matala and said he was wrongly fired so looks like he isn't the one that was wrong. Case closed.

And also, I feel that if I have an issue with an officer or with any other employee for that matter, I should be able to go to that person's superior and request explination. We tried to call officer Matella twice the day that the ticket was issued and he ignored both phone calls so he left us no choice but to go and speak with his supervisor.

http://www.wcpo.com/web/wcpo/news/local-news/butler-county/trenton/trenton-police-lt-michael-gillen-indicted-on-three-felonies

Another one bites the dust......