Cop charged with felonies has disciplinary record

SANDUSKY — Sandusky police Officer Ken Gautschi's personnel file contains comments of praise from superiors and even a few commendations.But it also includes numerous disciplinary violations throughout his 19-year tenure with Sandusky police. Gautschi was arrested Sunday night by Erie County sheriff's deputies on Fox Road near Milan Road (U.S. 250) for allegedly driving while intoxicated. Deputies also charged him with felonies for allegedly improperly handling a firearm in his vehicle, and for allegedly striking a deputy's cruiser while handcuffed.KENNETH B GAUTSCHIDisciplinary historyIn July 2005, Gautschi got into an argument with another officer in the police department's garage, according to a police memo. The altercation involved Gautschi apparently wanting to drive a cruiser another officer was using.An officer who witnessed the incident wrote Gautschi yelled and swore at another officer, who said their supervisor said they could use that cruiser and he wouldn't give Gautschi the keys, the memo states.Officers noticed several people standing outside the station and told Gautschi to walk away, the memo states. While walking away, Gautschi allegedly hit a van's opened door with his hand, which caused it to bounce off its hinges and hit the officer he argued with — who was bent over near the vehicle — in the head.In November 2005, a captain wrote in a memo he and other high-ranking officers met Gautschi to issue him a reprimand for the incident. During the incident, Gautschi allegedly refused to sign the reprimand and said he wanted a union representative.After his superiors threatened to relieve him of duty if he didn't sign, Gautschi allegedly put his gun, badge and ammunition clips on a table and left the police department, according to a memo. As a result of the November incident, Sandusky police suspended Gautschi 80 hours without pay.Gautschi's next suspension came in 2010. In October of that year, Sandusky officers responded to multiple intersections to control traffic flow after a blown transformer disabled stop lights.A sergeant ordered Gautschi to relieve another officer who was directing traffic, according to a memo. The sergeant saw Gautschi was struggling with new department-issued equipment and sent another officer to direct traffic. Another officer needed to be relieved, and the sergeant again ordered Gautschi to go direct traffic since he was the only officer available, the memo states. After 25 minutes, the sergeant realized Gautschi was in a bathroom still trying to put on the equipment.The sergeant told Gautschi he was defying an order and again told him to respond to the call, and added the officer on scene can help him put on the equipment, the memo states. As he left the police department, Gautschi set the equipment down and allegedly responded, "(expletive) it. Why are you guys always (expletive) with me?"Gautschi wrote in an email that the sergeant gave him permission to put on the equipment before going out on the call, but it took him "longer than anticipated."From the incident, Gautschi received a two-day suspension and was ordered to complete an anger management program.Following Gautschi's arrest Sunday, Sandusky police Chief John Orzech said his department is conducting an internal investigation into the incident and will take any necessary disciplinary action when that's finished.Gautschi was arraigned on his charges in Sandusky Municipal Court Monday, and he was later released from the Erie County jail on bond. He doesn't appear to have any other court dates scheduled yet.Other disciplinary actions against Gautschi include:• 2005, reprimanded for getting into a vehicle accident after he purportedly drove through an intersection without his emergency lights on and failed to yield to another car.• 2014, issued written reprimand after he voiced dissatisfaction during a meeting with having to run random license plate checks and attempted to walk out the door. Supervisor sent him home for the day.• 2015, prohibited from taking off-duty assignments for 30 days after he missed an off-duty assignment at Cedar Point.• 2016, reprimanded for exceeding speeds of 95 mph while traveling to join a vehicle pursuit — a speed which is higher than what the department allows for the situation.• 2017, reprimanded for being late to work.• 2018, reprimanded for being late to work.Source: Gautschi's personnel fileVisit our Sandusky police hub for more storiesReach reporter Brandon Addeo at brandonaddeo@sanduskyregister.com, follow him on Twitter @BrandonAddeo and follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterOfficer Ken Gautschi