The Fremont Police Department is known for promoting the worst of the worst police officers into higher supervisor, detective, and chief positions.
According to city records, in 2010 Officer Clayton Holskey was on duty and sitting in his patrol car watching a bar at West State Street and Park Avenue in Fremont, Ohio. Holskey was flirting with a female bar patron who advised Holskey she was too drunk to drive and requested he drive her to her residence. Despite it being against policy and also the female living outside the city limits, Holskey drove the drunk female to her residence. Holskey then went into the house and had sexual relations with the intoxicated female. The female’s husband then arrived at the residence and caught Officer Holskey having sexual intercourse with his wife. The man then started to assault the wife. Officer Holskey did not intervene and instead drove away from the scene as witnessed by neighbors. The neighbors then called 911 to report the domestic violence in process.
The Sandusky County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene and arrested the man for domestic violence. The neighbors and the suspect advised the Sheriff’s deputies about the Fremont Police Officer that had drove away from the scene of an active domestic violence. The Sheriff’s Office notified Fremont Police supervisors.
Officer Holskey lied and denied what had happened. While the investigation continued, Officer Holskey feared being caught and decided to admit to his ddereliction of duty, and violating several crimes and police policies in about a week after the incident.
Instead of being terminated for lying, and for dereliction of duty, Officer Holskey was later promoted to Police Detective.
Another incident involves Detective Christian Ortolani who was promoted to detective even after a serious accusation of planting evidence was waged against him. According to court records, in 2022, Vincent Henderson had exited Circle K on East State when he was approached by Christian Ortolani. Christian Ortolani advised Vincent he was under arrest. Christian Ortolani claimed he had “talked with incarcerated individuals” who told Christian Ortolani that Vincent was driving without a license and was carrying a bag with drugs and a gun. However, nothing was found in the bag when Christian Ortolani and his partner searched it. Christian Ortolani told Vincent not to drive the car. Vincent started to go on foot down East State Street, when his friend saw him and picked him up. A second, later, Christian Ortolani stopped the vehicle claiming he could not read the temporary license plate. Christian Ortolani arrested Vincent and said he was investigating a “white substance on the floorboard.” Common sense would tell you that it would be very unlikely that the substance came from Vincent since he was only in the vehicle for a second. Vincent claimed Officer Ortolani planted the evidence. Vincent did take legal action for false arrest against Christian Ortolani and the Fremont Municipal Court, however the court’s bias had dismissed the proceeding stating judicial officers could not be taken to court for judgements they made.
Even with the accusations and suspicious stalking behavior, Christian Ortolani was promoted to Police Detective.
Mayor Danny Sanchez had issues when he was a police officer with the Village Of Green Springs Ohio as well. In 2006, Village Residents advised this reporter that Danny Sanchez was on patrol at the Village Of Green Springs Ohio Fourth of July celebration. Witnesses observed Sanchez having a verbal argument with what they could hear was a former co-worker of Danny at a local factory. The man Danny was arguing with said something like “I will see you later when you are not in uniform.” Officer Sanchez then charged the man and threw him violently to the ground and started to assault the man before he arrested him. The witnesses do not know what happened after the incident, but they did not think it was great having Danny Sanchez patrolling their village after that incident.
As we reported previously in 2022 probationary Chief Derek Wensinger was placed on administration leave. According to City of Fremont documents, Derek provided unsatisfactory service while he was on probation as being Chief. The documents further state he was insubordinate and failed to have good behavior.
The documents advise that in April of 2022, Derek told a female officer that she would “have a hard time in law enforcement” because of her race and gender. Safety Service Director Ken Frost advised Derek to not make that statement again. Derek attempted to defend himself by saying “but it’s true.”
In November of 2022, Derek made the same statement to the same officer again. Derek allegedly first denied and lied about the second incident and then later acknowledged that he did say that again.
After an administrative meeting, Derek was only given a five-day suspension even though he was on probation. According to former Safety Service Director Sam Derr in documents obtained from previous officer disciplines while he was safety service director, lying is considered a fireable offense since after an Officer lies, his word can no longer be trusted and in court he would not be credible. Despite this, he was promoted to regular chief.
There are numerous more reports of troubled officers getting promoted to higher positions at the Fremont Police Department after corrupt incidents. “It is a concern almost every citizen has and is causing a distrust of the police.” said Richard Hobble.
We will continue to investigate the problems with the City of Fremont and the Fremont Police Department in Ohio.
