SWANTON, Ohio — Anika Fields, from Swanton says her neighbors have been racially harassing her since 2016. She showed our WTOL 11 team binders full of police reports, court documents and other complaints she's filed.
However, she says the Swanton Police Department hasn't been doing enough to keep her safe.
Now, a community leader is getting involved.
Gerald Rose with the New Order National Human Rights Organization met with the village's police chief, mayor and other city officials Thursday. Rose says progress is being made.
"I'm very convinced they really want to work her right now. Whatever happened in the past is the past. I told Mrs. Fields, I'm going to stay with you, but you're going to have to work with me," Rose said.
The Village of Swanton's Chief of Police Adam Berg did release a statement following their meeting, reading in part, "Officials from the Village of Swanton, including the chief of police and mayor Toeppe, met with representatives from the New Order National Human Rights Organization to discuss ongoing concerns. We believe this meeting was productive and we welcome continued dialogue. We believe with continued education and more discourse we will be able to work towards accomplishing shared goals within the community.”
WTOL 11 reporter Emily Cohen checked back in with Mrs. Fields to see if she is satisfied with Thursday's discussion. She says she's not asking for a relationship with her neighbors, she would just like to live in peace in her neighborhood and that she is open and receptive to any efforts that could facilitate that.
She adds, "If I walk down the street, don't yell racial epithets at me. Don't you know, yell at my son. Don't harass us. It's simply if they don't like me or whatever the issue is, they don't have to communicate with me."
The son of one of Fields' neighbors, Justin Riffle, was found guilty of disorderly conduct on Wednesday. He is accused of calling Fields names in a public place and has acknowledged he did so for no reason. Riffle is sentenced to pay $245 in fines.