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(Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has placed the officer accused of assaulting a Lakewood woman on one year's probation and ordered that he can't be on solo patrol for at least 60 days.

John Joyce, chief of RTA's transit police, said Patrol Officer Jonathan Pacholke used poor judgement, violated departmental procedures and failed to control a situation that led to an escalation and use of force that may have been avoided.

Joyce said in a three-page letter to Pacholke, dated April 7 and released by RTA this morning (see in document viewer below), that Pacholke is required "to make a total performance commitment to meet all GCRTA work rules and standards." Any further infraction of a work rule could lead to discharge, the chief wrote.

RTA had placed Pacholke on unpaid leave while it investigated the March 29 incident at RTA's rapid transit station on West 117th Street. He will return to work and is required to undergo training by a field training officer until he is "deemed suitable for solo patrol." Joyce said the overall discipline is at the level of a "decision-making leave," the final level of discipline short of firing. The sanction is in force for a year.

Jessica Ferrato, 39, alleged in a complaint emailed to RTA March 31 that two days earlier, late on a Sunday, Pacholke violated her rights and used an inappropriate and excessive use of force against her after asking to see her ticket when she got off a rapid train.

Ferrato said in a Facebook post that she was knocked to the ground and her face was shoved into the dirt as an officer, with a knee pressed into her back, wrestled handcuffs on her. Ferrato said her pants and underwear were somehow pulled down during the struggle, exposing her until another officer pulled her pants up and put her in the back of a police cruiser.

Her lawyer, Peter Pattakos, could not be immediately reached. He said earlier that even though the confrontation involved an RTA officer, Ferrato's account recalled results of a federal investigation of Cleveland police that found a culture of excessive force.

Joyce said Pacholke breached departmental procedure by:

Performing fare enforcement duties in a manner inconsistent with proper procedure by asking to inspect Ferrato's ticket in a vestibule, when fare inspections are required to be performed on trains and platforms.

Failing to control a situation that led to "an escalation of the incident and a use of force, which may have been avoided."

Using poor judgement and violating departmental procedures by using a pocket knife to cut the handle of Ferrato's purse. "Your use of a knife in this situation was unnecessary, unacceptable and increased the risk of injury to everyone exposed to the knife," the letter said.

Failing to complete a use-of-force report at the end of his shift, "thereby delaying the completion of the incident report and internal investigation."

Joyce's letter said his assessment of Pacholke's conduct "should not be construed to absolve or excuse Ms. Ferrato for any improper or inappropriate conduct on her part."