MAUMEE, Ohio — A Maumee police sergeant who was placed on leave after WTOL 11 reported his ties to the Oath Keepers has retired from the city's police force.
Maumee Police Chief Josh Sprow told WTOL 11 Wednesday that Westrick, 50, has left the department.
"I was informed this week that Sgt. Westrick has completed the required paperwork with OP&F (Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund) and has retired from the Maumee Police Division," the chief said in an email.
In September, WTOL 11 reported Westrick has strong ties and offered to provide support to far-right extremist organization the Oath Keepers, according to a report issued by the Anti-Defamation League based on leaked membership rolls.
Westrick was promoted to sergeant in August 2021 and worked for more than 20 years in the department. His name and other personal information appear on a data dump released by non-profit journalism group Distributed Denial of Secrets in September, 2021.
The Anti-Defamation League sifted through the 38,000 names on the list who paid for a membership at some point and published a report in September. The report stated over 600 members nationwide work as law enforcement officers, first responders, military members and elected officials.
According to DDS documents, Westrick wrote "I am interested in local rallies. As far as talents, I am a trained gunsmith and certifed (sic) armored on a few weapon systems. But I also have computer skills for above average web applications."
On that same document, Westrick listed the Maumee police station as his address.
Shortly after WTOL 11's report, Sprow sent the following statement:
"The city of Maumee was provided information related to one of our police officers. We are in the process of investigating this matter. We have policies and procedures in place that we will follow as to our investigation."
After the revelations, Mayor Rich Carr announced Westrick had been placed on administrative leave. Chief Sprow said in a statement the investigation would determine if a law or policy was broken.
Through a Freedom of Information Act request, WTOL 11 has learned Westrick's total compensation through mid-November was $91,902, including more than $16,000 while on leave.
The Oath Keepers are an anti-government extremist group associated with the militia movement. They were among the groups who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots.
The FBI defines the Oath Keepers as a "large but loosely organized collection of militia who believe that the federal government has been coopted by a shadowy conspiracy that is trying to strip American citizens of their rights."
Oath Keepers membership is not illegal. An individual's inclusion in the database is not proof of active membership.
On Tuesday, jurors began deliberating in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot case accusing Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and four of his extremist group associates of a violent plot to stop the transfer of presidential power from Republican Donald Trump to Democrat Joe Biden.
Federal prosecutors are asking the Washington, D.C., jury to convict the defendants of seditious conspiracy, a rarely used charge that can be hard to prove and carries up to 20 years in prison.
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