Register's lawsuit against Cedar Point dismissed

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Court of Claims has dismissed a Sandusky Register lawsuit against Cedar Point that sought to force the amusement park's police force to release police reports as public records. The lawsuit was dismissed "without prejudice," meaning that it can be refiled later. The court ruling contended that the Register failed to obtain an attorney as ordered, which the Register disputes. The Register, however, won't fight the court ruling because it has decided to pursue other avenues in its disagreement with Cedar Point, said Matt Westerhold, executive editor for the Sandusky Register and other Ogden Newspapers in Northwest Ohio. Judge Patrick E. Sheeran dismissed the lawsuit on April 6. The court had ordered the Register to obtain an attorney to represent the newspaper. Westerhold filed the court action on Sept. 16, contending that Cedar Point is required by law to make its police reports public, as other police forces do. Westerhold said the Register did follow instructions and entered a recent court document by an attorney. But Westerhold said he won't pursue the matter in the Ohio Court of Claims for now because he is asking the city of Sandusky to intervene and remedy the situation. Cedar Point should not call its security force a "police department" unless it follows the usual state laws for police, including releasing police reports, Westerhold contends. Westerhold said he will wait to see what action is taken by Cedar Point officials and the city. The Cedar Point police are authorized by 127.04 of the Sandusky city code, which authorizes a private police force commissioned by the city manager and says such private police officers must get the same training as other police officers. Cedar Point police officers are sworn in by Sandusky's city manager. The Sandusky Register began asking the Cedar Point Police Department for police reports last year, after a Michigan woman was badly injured in an accident involving Top Thrill Dragster. The ride remains closed.