Teacher's aide arrested

A school employee and former police officer has been arrested. Jerry Dembski, 51, is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a teenager.

Dembski was arrested October 28, 2009. He is charged with importuning and intimidation of a witness, both felonies.

Officials with the Sidney Police Department said Dembski met a 13-year-old girl several times in the last month, and on one occasion, another teen saw the encounter and took a picture.

Sidney police said an investigation was launched after an adult reported overhearing the victim and her friend talk about the relationship. Officers also learned that Dembski would be meeting the girl again, near a railroad trestle in Sidney.

"Under normal conditions they probably wouldn't have been noticed, but since we did have some information it was going to take place, we did in fact go to that area and witness the meeting take place," said Chief Kevin Gessler, Sidney Police.

Dembski is a former Sidney, Ohio police officer and works in the Sidney school system as a study hall monitor. He has been put on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.

"It would be serious if it were any person in the community. It's much more serious because this is an individual who was given public trust.," said Gessler. "Our duty right now is to be focused on the victim, but we have to also be cognizant of the fact that these types of issues definitely cannot be tolerated, that's why we moved as quickly as possible to make sure that the appropriate charges were filed."

Dembski is out of jail after posting bond.