Fired Dayton officer had prior suspensions

The performance history of a fired Dayton officer shows suspensions in 2011 and 2009, and an oral reprimand last year, lead up to his firing earlier this week.

Ronald Horton, a 23-year-veteran of the force, was terminated Tuesday afternoon. Police said Horton violated policy when he lied about his whereabouts in June to a supervisor.

The documented performance history was part of a 125-page personnel file released by the police department on Friday.

Horton, formerly a uniform officer assigned to Central Patrol Operations Squad 2, admits he lied to his supervisor, a sergeant, the morning of June 3 when he was asked where he was. He was at home, using the restroom, when he was supposed to be on his way to a scrap yard in the 300 block of West Washington Street to assist another officer. The call involved suspected illegal scrapping, which turned out to be a dispatch run that was cleared without incident.

The performance history included in his 125-page personnel file shows:

-- A suspension of eight hours in 2009 after Horton was absent for an "entire shift." According to the public record, it was the result of "failing to submit a valid medical certification form" to cover the absence.

-- A suspension of 24 hours in 2011 when Horton was absent without leave from a voluntary overtime assignment.

-- An oral reprimand in 2012 for not filing a police report after responding to an assault call.

It also showed that Horton received a verbal commendation from then Lt. Robert Chabali - now deputy chief of the department - in 2006. A detective verbally commended Horton and two other officers for arresting three people on burglary charges. The suspects later admitted to committing six robberies. Charges were obtained on two counts of robbery and one burglary count.

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