Resident tells Twinsburg council police mishandled her case, asks for records

Svetlana Novak, a Twinsburg resident, told the Twinsburg City Council during public comment on Nov. 12 that her rape case was “not right way investigated” and that she has not received police reports or body-camera footage she requested.

Novak said she recorded interactions herself after not receiving reports and disputed police accounts involving a child exchange. “The father actually refused to give [the] child medication,” she said, and added that she believed the handling of her case amounted to “terroristic act that was done to my family based on a political interest between city and the Twinsburg Police Department.”

Council President Furey interrupted Novak near the end of her five-minute allotment and told her the council does not handle domestic-violence investigations. “I’m listening to you, but I’m not sure that this is the right forum for you because we don’t do anything with domestic violence. We’re just a city council,” he said.

The remarks came during the meeting’s audience participation segment; council members did not take action or ask staff to open a formal inquiry during the meeting. Novak said she would sign up again to speak at a future meeting.

The council did not respond substantively to Novak’s allegations during the public-comment period and made no motion to refer the matter to staff, the mayor’s office or the police department. The city’s formal processes for complaints, evidence access or criminal-case reviews were not presented during the meeting.

Because Novak raised specific claims about police reports and body-camera footage, city residents and officials who want more information may need to use established complaint channels or public-records requests; the council did not describe any next steps during the meeting.