Richmond police chief back on the job after reportedly misusing LEIN system
WXYZ News
September 09, 2022
MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Chief Tom Costello is back on the job and back in court still charged with a crime. His defense attorney believes the charge should be dropped.
Costello admits to running personal information in the LEIN, Law Enforcement Information Network. A computer system that has extensive information on all of us.
Is the Richmond Police Chief getting preferential treatment? Or should a police chief be held to a high standard?
The Chief was put on paid leave last month when the case was first charged. Then last week, put back on the job by the city manager and city council.
We confronted Costello outside of court about his case. He said, “I’m not going to say anything.”
The investigation report from the Macomb County Sheriff says Costello admitted to running information for a female dispatcher who has an adult son in a child custody issue, that Costello, “took it upon himself to run___ through LEIN to possibly find her new address.
The charge is a misdemeanor. It is postponed in court by his Defense Attorney Art Weiss who tells 7 Action News, this should all go away.
“I want this case dismissed. Because a crime wasn’t committed. The facts that I know, a crime was not committed. I intend to ask the prosecutor’s office to do the right thing.”
Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido says he’ll check with state police, do they believe this incident is a crime.
And Lucido tells 7 Action News, “If they say, that he does have a right to run it, then why don’t we just go ahead and put a big billboard out there that everybody has a right to go get their LEINS run.”
The Richmond City County and City Manager put Costello back on the job effective September 1. In a memo to the Police Department, it says Costello is restricted from using the LEIN while the court process continues.
City Manager Jon Moore tells 7 Action News, “There may be discipline coming. But we’re going to wait for the court. And again, we don’t believe that level of discipline should rise to the level of termination.”
People in Richmond see both sides of this. Kim Pacini says, “If there was a mistake, he’s probably paid for it internally.”
Florence Sawicki says, “I would say yes, he should be held to a higher standard because that personal information should stay personal.”
This case could still take weeks to resolve.
7 Action News speaks with Richmond Police Chief
WXYZ News
September 07, 2022
Richmond police chief arraigned on charge of misusing Law Enforcement Information Network
WXYZ News - Detroit
August 17, 2022
Richmond police chief arraigned on charge of misusing Law Enforcement Information Network
WXYZ News - Detroit
August 17, 2022
The police chief in the small town of Richmond in northern Macomb County was arraigned on a misdemeanor charge Wednesday morning.
Chief Tom Costello is charged with using the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) to look up personal information on a case that is not official business.
Costello has been the chief since March after he worked 20 years in the Center Line Police Department.
He's currently on paid leave. The judge put Costello on a personal bond with restrictions including not using the LEIN system and he cannot travel out of state without the court's permission.
His attorney said Costello denies any wrongdoing. Costello declined to talk to us about the case.
The allegations of misuse came from a woman in nearby Washington Township who went to police in Romeo who directed her to the Macomb County sheriff.
The misdemeanor charge could land him up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine if convicted.
Richmond police chief arraigned on charge of misusing Law Enforcement Information Network
Yahoo News
August 17, 2022
The police chief in the small town of Richmond in northern Macomb County was arraigned on a misdemeanor charge Wednesday morning. Chief Tom Costello is charged with using the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) to look up personal information on a case that is not official business. Costello has been the chief since March after he worked 20 years in the Center Line Police Department.
Richmond police chief placed on paid administrative leave following accusations of misusing LEIN
Port Huron Times Herald
August 11, 2022
Richmond Police Chief Thomas Castello has been put on paid administrative leave after the city learned he was facing a charge for a Law Enforcement Information Network violation.
Karen Grasel, court administrator for the 42nd District Court Second Division in New Baltimore, said Castello is facing a charge of LEIN information — unauthorized disclosure. The maximum penalty for the misdemeanor is 93 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.
Used as an investigative tool by state law enforcement agencies, the computerized information system maintains a filing system of criminal justice information.
Grasel said Castello is scheduled for an arraignment and pre-trial hearing at 9 a.m. Aug. 17 in front of Macomb County District Court Judge William Hackel III.
Richmond city manager Jon Moore said Castello was immediately placed on leave on Aug. 2 when he learned the Macomb County Sheriff Department was bringing the charge against Castello.
The city is also conducting an internal investigation into the matter. It is city policy to place employees on paid administrative leave during investigations and criminal proceedings, Moore said.
"The case is going to make its way through the court and the chief has a right to his defense," Moore said.
During the criminal proceedings and investigation, Sgt. William Kacanowski will take on the role as acting chief, Moore said.
Castello's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Richmond’s police chief placed on paid leave after being charged with misusing LEIN
Sgt. William Kacanowski is serving as acting chief
Macomb Daily
August 08, 2022
Richmond Police Chief Thomas Costello has been placed on paid administrative suspension after he was accused of using his law enforcement position to obtain personal information on a woman in Washington Township.
Costello, who was named police chief in March, has been charged with violating the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN), a digital database that contains a person’s criminal history, including arrests, convictions, and driving record information.
The LEIN is for official criminal justice purposes only. The charge is a misdemeanor punishable to 903 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.
“I was made aware of the situation when I received a call from the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office telling me that the prosecutor’s office had authorized criminal charges,” Richmond City Manager Jon Moore said Monday.
Costello did not respond to an email seeking comment.
The police chief was temporarily removed from his job Aug. 2 for inappropriately using the database, according to Moore.
“We take this situation very seriously,” the city manager said. “We need to work our way through the court system. Chief Costello has a right to present his defense.”
Moore said the woman’s complaint was filed with police in Romeo, who directed her to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office. Sgt. Renee Yax on Monday confirmed the information Monday.
Costello is scheduled to be arraigned and have a pre-trial hearing at 9 a.m. Aug. 17 in 42nd District Court in New Baltimore. Court officials in 42-1 District Court in Richmond recused themselves because of their ongoing relationship with the police department.
According to his online biography, Costello retired in 2019 as a lieutenant in the road patrol division of the Center Line Public Safety Department. He then worked as a part-time public safety officer in Harper Woods and as part-time firefighter in Chesterfield Township.
While Costello is on administrative leave, the department will be supervised by Sgt. William Kacanowski, who previously served as the acting chief of Richmond police following the retirement of David Teske as the police chief.
Richmond police chief charged for allegedly misusing system to find info on local woman
WXII Detroit
August 05, 2022
Richmond police chief charged for allegedly misusing system to find info on local woman
WXYZ News - Detroit
August 05, 2022
RICHMOND, Mich. (WXYZ) — Tom Costello was sworn in as police chief in the City of Richmond in March. He’s on paid leave after being charged with misuse of the Law Enforcement Information Network, allegedly to get personal information on a woman in nearby Washington Township.
The LEIN is for official police business only. This charge is a misdemeanor. But 7 Action News has learned this is not the first time this has happened in Richmond. Years ago, a dispatcher was fired for getting personal information but got her job back through arbitration, according to City Manager Jon Moore.
Moore says he put Costello on leave after getting a call from the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office.
“We were informed on Tuesday that the Macomb County Sheriff's Department will be charging or has charged our chief of police with a misuse of LIEN, which is a misdemeanor,” Moore said.
Costello’s online biography in Richmond says he started in 1995 in Saginaw then worked 20 years in Center Line — much of it as a detective — and retired in 2019.
The allegations of misuse came from a woman in nearby Washington Township who went to police in Romeo who directed her to the Macomb County sheriff. They confirmed that charge has been authorized by the prosecutor.
We tried to reach Costello but were not successful.
Moore told 7 Action News, “We'll also be doing an internal investigation. We take these allegations very seriously.”
It is not clear when Costello will appear in court in Romeo and enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.
Macomb County police chief facing charges for allegedly searching woman in police information system
WWJ Radio - Detroit
August 05, 2022
RICHMOND (WWJ) - A police chief in Macomb County is expected to turn himself in after he was caught misusing a statewide law enforcement system to search information on a woman, officials confirmed on Friday.
A spokesperson for the Macomb County Sheriff's Office told WWJ's Sandra McNeill that the police chief for the Richmond Police Department is facing charges for allegedly using the Michigan Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) to find out details about a woman.
While officials did not release the name of the police chief pending charges, Tom Costello was identified as the officer holding that position with Richmond police.
The MCSO spokesperson said the woman learned her information had been looking up -- although it is unclear how - and informed the sheriff's office who then launched an investigation into the incident.
Her association with Costello is also unknown.
Misuse of the LEIN system is a misdemeanor punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine.
There are reports that Costello has been placed on paid leave.
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