Times Staff Report

PORTAGE | Charges of abuse leveled against a Portage police officer were unanimously dismissed Friday morning by the Portage Police Merit Board after a marathon hearing that began Thursday night.

Officer Roger A. Peele had been charged by the department with conduct unbecoming an officer, mistreatment or maltreatment of a prisoner and unsatisfactory performance. The board had the power to dismiss the case or demote, suspend or terminate Peele's employment.

Peele remained on the department while the board had the case. Police officials on Friday were not available to comment on Peele's status at the department.

The charges stemmed from two incidents, including a Feb. 7 drunken driving arrest in which Peele was caught on police video repeatedly threatening to choke driver Matthew Rivera after the 24-year-old Portage resident initially failed to respond to an order to open his mouth.

In the second case, which was caught on Fire Department video, Gary resident Camille Laffoon accused Peele of pulling hair from her head, knocking her to the ground and beating her, all while the 25-year-old was handcuffed.

Laffoon was among four people charged after an April 14 scuffle in the parking lot of Denny's restaurant in Portage.

Both Rivera and Laffoon, who were in attendance for Thursday's hearing, have notified the city of their intention to file civil suits seeking $300,000 each.

Despite the decision, Rivera's attorney John Vouga, said he will continue to pursue a lawsuit against Peele and the Police Department.

"As laughable as the decision is, it doesn't surprise me," Vouga said. "No one in their right mind, after watching one of those videos, would find that officer did nothing wrong."

The final vote on the evidence was held in public about 5 a.m. Friday, said board attorney Scott McClure.

Members of the board include Charles Mason, Dr. Ronald Szabo, Billie Miletich, James Lynch and Edward Lloyd, the chief of the Valparaiso University Police Department.

McClure said 10 to 15 witnesses were called and members of the board reviewed documents and watched the videotape of the arrests in question.