Twinsburg Police Association says fired officer kept grip on group's Facebook page

The Twinsburg Police Association says a former Twinsburg Police officer fired from his position in late April co-opted the organization's Facebook page for his own purposes after his termination.

Association President Jeff Hayes accused former officer Daniel Fidoe of removing TPA members as moderators, using the page to "make divisive and opinionated posts," soliciting money through GoFundMe and misleading the public.

Terminated: 2 Twinsburg officers who raised corruption allegations fired, accused of misconduct

"The continued use of the former TPA Facebook page, and fraudulent use of the Twinsburg Police Association's name, is drastically hurting the reputation, credibility and image of the Association," Hayes wrote in an email.

Fidoe's attorney Brian Bardwell was not immediately aware of the allegations. He said Fidoe led the TPA for a number of years and had access to the Facebook page.

In his email Sunday afternoon to Northeast Ohio media and police organizations, Hayes said Facebook had not acted on the group's request to take down the hijacked page. As of Monday afternoon, however, the Twinsburg Police Association Facebook page that Fidoe had continued to administer was inaccessible to Facebook users.

2 officers fired following internal investigation, mandamus action

Hayes' comments come nearly two months after Fidoe and officer Olivia Bartulovic were fired following an internal investigation alleged they violated department policies. They were accused of an inappropriate workplace relationship, insubordination, lying and misuse of a marked police vehicle.

Fidoe and Bartulovic were two of three officers who filed a mandamus action against the city of Twinsburg and its police chief on April 5, demanding access to records.

In the court filing, Bardwell argued those records would show how the department's leadership engaged in a pattern of corruption, sexual harassment, tampering with records and retaliatory practices.

This case is scheduled for a status conference to be held via phone Wednesday. Summit County Common Pleas Judge Jennifer Towell is presiding over the case.

Allegations of fraudulent activity

The association created a new Facebook page in mid-June. On June 14, it posted explaining that all posts made after May 1 on the old page "were done without the permission of the Twinsburg Police Association."

Hayes said the former Facebook page was still called the Twinsburg Police Association but used the Ohio Patrolman's Benevolent Association logo.

"I, and others, have reached out to Dan, asking that the former page be taken down, with no result," he said.

"The Association was never involved with Dan's issues, was not the cause of his issues and has no role in the future of Dan's current issues," Hayes wrote.

Hayes said Fidoe had led the association for many years and that TPS would have supported him if he reached out.

Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Fired Twinsburg officer accused of taking over group's Facebook page