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Garfield Heights Police Chief Robert Sackett said the CEO of TAC Computer, Inc., Thomas Craven, has been charged with one count of tampering with records.

(Regina Garcia Cano/Northeast Ohio Media Group)

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio – The president of a computer software company that has access to critical information including arrests and 9-1-1 calls for nearly half of the police departments in Cuyahoga County hacked into the system serving Garfield Heights, according to a charge filed against him.

Thomas Craven, the head of TAC Computer Inc. in Oakwood Village, was charged earlier this month with one count of tampering with records. Craven's attorney, Richard Perez, did not return a call seeking comment.

The county's acting public safety director, Norberto Colon, told Northeast Ohio Media Group on Thursday that the accusation against Craven is disconcerting because of the breadth and nature of the information he has access to.

"If he was tampering with records with malicious intent in order to change or alter records, that obviously is of significant concern to us," Colon said. "It would be highly unlikely that this was the first time he did it."

Craven's company provides computer technology services to at least 23 police departments in the county and several others in Lake County. Among other services, TAC Computer provides software that allows police departments to access massive amounts of crime data maintained by federal and state officials.

TAC also provides a system that stores information on arrests and minor warrants that aren't entered into state and federal databases.

One of the crime databases that Craven's company can access includes names, license plate numbers, drivers' licenses, arrests histories, conceal carry permits, vehicle identification numbers and several other sensitive records.

"It's a pretty powerful repository," Colon said.

Police officers routinely use Craven's software to verify the driver's license of a person who has just been pulled over for speeding.

A State Highway Patrol spokesman said Thursday morning that Craven's personal access to the database has been revoked until his case is adjudicated. The company can still access the records.

Contractors like Craven must comply with rules set by the Highway Patrol and the FBI. Workers must be fingerprinted and trained on security measures.

Garfield Heights Police Chief Robert Sackett said Craven improperly accessed his department's databases Oct. 25, a day after he was notified that the department would be terminating the contract with his company.

"Our first hint was when some of our employees came in one day and couldn't see the database that was previously being used," Sackett said. "They had a computer message that said it had been deleted."

Sackett said the department later was able to recover the lost information. His officers arrested Craven, 62, on Dec. 12.

Colon said the charge against Craven might have resulted from the contractor trying to update coding for his software. While that type of access would be illegal, Colon said, it would not be as serious as trying to change records.

Some chiefs whose departments use TAC services told Northeast Ohio Media Group on Thursday that they had not been informed of the charge against Craven. Other chiefs who were aware of the allegation said they intend to continue using TAC.

"He [Craven] has always been outstanding," said Orange Police Chief Christopher Kostura. "It's the best product. Until the guy is proven guilty, I'm not changing vendors."

It is unclear whether police departments would be forced to end their contracts with Craven's company if he is convicted.

Colon said police departments in Cuyahoga County have favored Craven's services over other contractors – and even a similar county-subsidized software – because he has been reliable, cost-effective and has kept up with new technology.

Colon estimated police departments pay Craven an average of $30,000 a year.

Craven is out on a $5,000 bond. A hearing in his case is scheduled for Dec. 27 at Garfield Heights Municipal Court.

Colon said the county could provide software services to departments that choose to severe ties with TAC Computer. But, he added, the county's system would have to be updated.

"We would need money," he said. "We're just going to have to be very aggressive."

The following communities in Cuyahoga County have had at least one contract with TAC Computer within the last two years.