[October 29, 2008] Toledo police clerk cited in use of database on 'Joe the Plumber' Tweet Oct 29, 2008 (The Blade - McClatchy-Tribune Business News via COMTEX) -- A records clerk in the Toledo police investigative services bureau will face departmental charges of gross misconduct because a state database was used to access information about the Springfield Township man known worldwide as "Joe the Plumber." The clerk, Julie McConnell, will be the subject of a disciplinary hearing, likely to be scheduled next week, Chief Mike Navarre said yesterday. Ms. McConnell was hired by the police department in April, 1995, and is a member of Local 7, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. An internal investigation began when Toledo police received a call from the Ohio Highway Patrol, asking why information on Samuel "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher was pulled. The chief said Ms. McConnell looked up the information at the request of a local television reporter to confirm Mr. Wurzelbacher's address. The reporter was interviewed as part of the investigation. Such information, though found on public records, was accessed through the Law Enforcement Automated Data System, often called LEADS. "You can't use that database unless it was for law enforcement purposes," Chief Navarre said. "If a crime was committed and she was looking up the address or the name of a victim or witness, that would be OK." He said Ms. McConnell has no past disciplinary record. He said it would be premature to talk about possible discipline. "Discipline is usually a result of the seriousness of the [offense] and the employee's prior disciplinary record," Chief Navarre said. "She's a good employee and is highly regarded by her fellow employees and her superiors. I don't think there was any ill intent here. She made a mistake. "If it wasn't Joe the Plumber, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation," the chief concluded. Don Czerniak, president of AFSCME Local 7, said that at the hearing the city will have to produce proof the charge is warranted. He'd received no documentation from the city by late yesterday afternoon, when Chief Navarre issued a news release. "At this point, all they have is charges," Mr. Czerniak said. "They have to prove her guilty." Contact Mark Zaborney at: [email protected] or 419-724-6182. To see more of The Blade, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.toledoblade.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]