?23

9113 Cincinnati-Dayton Road
West Chestsr, Ohio 45 069

.fuly 5, 2020

Mrs. Tanya Charles

West Chester Human Resources. Manager
9] l3 Cincinnati-Dayton Road

West Chester, Obie, 45069

Dear Mrs. Charles:

I, Palice Gf?cer Raymond Jones #216? am wxiting ycu this latter: to ?le a formal complaint
against :hc Chief of Police, 1031 Hemog. As the* only black of?cer at the police I feel
comments made to me by Chief Hemag during a January 14, 2019, meeting were: {12' scriminatcry
and racially insensitive. Additionally, comments made during a brie?ng in May 01?2020 were
inappropriate for a Police Chief to make.

During this meeting (January 19, 2019),. Chief Hermg questioned me about What .I to do
with my hairl I told him I was. allowing my hair ta grow out naturally. ChiefHerzog tald me my
hair was Starting {a ?give: off a rugged look.? I asked what abOut my hair appeared ragged? Chiraf
Ham-0g stated it was the length cf it. 1 ?eld him the did not interfere with me being
able to wear my unifontn hat, Chicf Herzeg alsq stated my hair appearad ragged because it was
uneven. I him my hair naturally differently than evexyane {3136?s because: it is black
hair. As the nonversal?ion continued, Chief Harzog told be had never used the: term ragged 'tc
describe anyone?s hair. He has uaed wercis such as ?long" 0r ?extrema,? but new: ragged. Itold
Chief He meg there were several pence ef?cars at the puliCe dep amnent whuse hair was: lungm:
than mine. A statement which Chief Hex-mg agraed with me. (In my mind I bagazz asking
myself, why then am I in your office? Why am I the anly am: being $ingled outexplain their intentions with their hair?} Chief Hermg again stated, ?Ray, all I can
say is the: length afyour hair is starting to give aft? 3 ragged look.? Chief Harmg stated when it
(harness to af?cer?s hair, he dates nut narmally get involved. It is narmally handle? at the Sergeant
andfor Lieutenant lave]. I told him nuns ofmy dimer supervisors questioned me about my hair.
Name of them, whom I see multiple times thraughom my shift, have told me my hair was outsidt:
of poliey. I told Chiaf Hemog my hair was net out of policy as it is mitten. He xespondad by
saying, ?well, it?s tram: Ray.? A: that moment. in the convmation, I bagan in feel sabsewiam to
my fellow af?cars wha were white. It painted the picmte that my hair length and mm:- hair length
were not equal in his aycs.

After gatharirxg myself, I told Chinf I highly offendad, parsonally attacked, and
by him far damning my hair in he: raggad. I laid him the term ragg?d am only be:

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used to describe black hair. I told Chief Herzeg that if had dreadlocks, I could understand as
having this convmsaticni For many peapleg dreadlocks give off a ?ragged 190k? Hawcver, i
3xplained to him my hair was nowhcre near that point. i told ChicfHerzog hc did not haw: it}
like my hair and 6011.16. order boss. Howevar, he: did not have to deem my
hair as ragged. to prom: his point.

AS the conversation came to an end, I asked Chicf Herzog what he wantad me to do with my
hair. He told me: I nccded to cut it shorter and more: avert. I was told to have this done before I
rammed t0 work. ever the weekend.

In May @2026, before the start 01? third shift brie?ng, Chief Herzog walked in and stated, ?Man
we got some people with some long hair "it: here. Ray, you are starting :0 look like a hippie back
there.? Uncomfortable in the moment, I laughed it off. I tald him all the barbemhops were closed
because of Far once, Ijust wanted my hair not to be viawed differently ??am
Else?sr Though I do not know his. iatcntiens brhind calling ma a ?hippirt,? hisiarically,
hippies have not been praiscdiliked by society. Many negative stereotypes have been associated
with hippies.

I know in law enfemement we have :0 havc tough skin. In some of my interactions with the
public, I have been called a ?boy,? "?Uncla Tom,? ?ghetto,? and ?3mm people? just to
name a few. The pcuple what used these derogatory epithats against me did so to reminded me: of
my status in society. It was to remind me that though I am a police of?cer, they will ucvcr accept
my autharity. Se, it is not; a matter {31? having taugh skin. My skin has bran hardened? I have been
dqing this job since Fabmary af? 2006. In. context, being labeledz?dcemed ragged and a hippie by
Chief Herzog is by far not the worst label I have received. Nevenheless, they are labals. Labels
msant tn describe ma, his enly black af?car. That being said, I dc} not believe Chief Her-20g is a
raciat, He has been by side during the social irrjugzices plaguing our society I believe ha says
what is On his mind. witheut urtderstanding 116W it will be": perceived; especially his minarity
af?cers, I believe this is due to the lack of diversity at the police aepartmem.

On a different day in May Df 2028, Chief Herzog came into third slhi? briefing befbre it started.
After brie?ng was over, the topic of arrest came up. This was in. part to the recent events
going on in Cincinnati. 1 rcmembrr ChiafHarzog telling his third shift of?cers not to arr-cat a cap
for 0V1. He state? he did not want the media attemion assaaiated with it. We were adviscd ta
?nd. other spams call a friend, rideshm, drive them home). These armaments were made in
Eran: of ?raakie? of?ccrs with less than ?ve (5) years of experience. I was in shock of what he
had just said. The next day in brie?ng our immediate supervisors addressad the Chief?s:
ailments directly. We: were told regardless if the person is a cap 81? net, no 011:: receives special
treatment. Ifan of?caricitizan is legally intoxicated, yam arrest them. They tald as ?ifyou are
called ante the carpet (mg. Integrity and Davelopmant), cements will not
raveipr?tect you." We ware raid not its risk aur carear pmtacting a cap. 111 the day and age were
public trust is an all??rm: law, my chief was asking us to giver: preferential ?(remnant to police
of?cars.

get

In conclusizm, writing you this latter may come at a grcat cost. Because of tha statement I have
made, I may be blackhalled, 10?de ovesr for promotions, retaliated against, or viewed as
?disgruntlad.? I may never truly mach my full potential at the West Chester Police Depmment.
Howawr, I have: accepted that fact. No: longer will I aliow these factors to deter my dacisiom
making. I will no longer be silenced.

Sincereiy,

Raymond Jonas
I?alic?: Of?cer; West Chester Police Department