An internal investigation revealed that Baab, 40, had allegedly sent a text to male and female subordinates showing the male genitalia. “It was inappropriate,” Plummer said.
Baab, who could not be reached for comment, has denied that he sent the text, Plummer said. He has filed a grievance through his union representatives and arbitration is scheduled for May. Plummer said he is certain that Baab sent the text and he has at least two witnesses.
Plummer said he was aware of at least four sheriff’s employees receiving the texts. Sgt. Kelley Campbell also received the text and was given a written reprimand for forwarding the text to others in the workplace.
Plummer became aware of the text in December after an employee reported it to a supervisor.
The sheriff said that when Baab was questioned, he intentionally left out phone records that would have shown that he sent the text to subordinates. Those doing the internal investigation managed to get the omitted phone records. “Baab was terminated because he lied during an internal investigation,” Plummer said. “If you are not going to be honest in an internal investigation, I don’t want to take the chance that you will not be honest in court.”
Baab has been with the sheriff’s office since 1999. He is also the former police chief of Pleasant Hill in Miami County.
He has been suspended at least twice during his career at the sheriff’s office. One suspension had to do with him falling asleep while on duty. The other had to do with him sending inappropriate messages to patrol officers via mobile data terminals, according to Plummer.
In June 2005, Baab shot and killed 27-year-old Rennie R. Moore while on duty outside the Economy Inn and Lounge, 4101 Keats Drive, in Harrison Twp. A Montgomery County Grand Jury declined to indict Baab, which prompted Moore’s estate to file a lawsuit against him, the sheriff’s office and county commissioners in June of 2006. Moore’s family claimed it was a wrongful death. The law suit was dismissed in 2008.
Moore was shot while driving a van that Baab was attempting to stop outside the motel. At the time, Sheriff Dave Vore said Baab suffered broken bones on his right side after the van struck his car. The van then attempted to strike Baab before he shot Moore, Vore said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2414 or kwynn@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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