The Gratis Village Council voted to terminate the employment of Police Chief Tonina Lamanna Thursday, May 28, 2026. She was placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation after she conducted wellness checks at three schools in Cincinnati on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. CONTRIBUTED
The police chief for the Preble County village of Gratis is no longer employed after participating in a federal law enforcement operation at Cincinnati Public Schools.
The council voted 4-2 to terminate the employment of Chief Tonina Lamanna during its Thursday, May 28, meeting, effective immediately, said Venida Thompson, village fiscal officer and utility clerk.
Lamanna had been placed on administrative leave when village officials were notified of the chief’s activity, according to a release in April from the village that was obtained by the Dayton Daily News.
“The Village of Gratis does not condone these actions. It is not the practice or policy of the village to participate in law enforcement operations outside of our jurisdiction, particularly those occurring two counties away,” the release stated.
Cincinnati Public Schools released surveillance images showing Lamanna inside Western Hills University High School on Wednesday, April 15, accompanied by another officer, WCPO-TV in Cincinnati reported.
The officers, according to Cincinnati schools, requested to conduct “wellness checks” on certain students without presenting warrants or any official paperwork. Lamanna and the officer also visited Rees E. Price Elementary and Roberts Academy.
The officer with her was identified as officer Jeffrey Baylor, who was placed on leave along with Lamanna.
“Officer Baylor sent in his resignation right before the meeting and council voted unanimously to accept his resignation,” Thompson said.
Officer Matthew Jones remains acting manager of the Gratis Police Department.
Lamanna was hired in Gratis as a part-time officer in 2023 and was promoted to chief in 2024.
She was fired from the Dayton Police Department in 2020 for allegedly falsifying information and being “untruthful” with city staff, according to disciplinary records in her Dayton personnel file.
Lamanna did not tell the truth when she was asked during an interview if she accessed the personnel information of former police Chief Richard Biehl and officer Willie Hooper, according to a discharge order from the city manager and police department.
Lamanna’s attorney claims she likely was terminated in retaliation for filing a civil lawsuit alleging discrimination.
“I worked hard for the city of Dayton for 17 years, and I never got any discipline until I started complaining about the unfair treatment I was receiving,” Lamanna said previously in a prepared statement.
The city discharged Lamanna on Oct. 3, 2020, after finding she violated three of the police department’s rules of conduct, which say police officers cannot knowingly falsify any report, document or record, according to the report in her personnel file.
Lamanna could not be reached for comment.
