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Board votes to suspend part-timer officer

By Amanda Clegg 3 min read

EAST BETHLEHEM – The board of commissioners voted to suspend a part-time township police officer for two weeks without pay after an argument with a commissioner. Sgt. James T. Phillips wrote a letter to the board requesting they discuss the matter in an open meeting rather than during an executive session, which is the usual procedure when personnel issues come before the board.

President Mark Giovanelli said the incident occurred when Phillips spoke to Vice President Paul Battaglini over the phone in a disrespectful manner after Battaglini had asked the officer to investigate a burning complaint.

“By the nature of the officer’s actions, the board finds it necessary to suspend the officer without pay for two weeks,” Giovanelli said at the commissioners’ meeting Monday, adding that another incident would call for “immediate termination.”

Battaglini said the incident was “total insubordination” and “no one deserves to have a job if they talk to their employer like that.”

In a phone interview Tuesday afternoon, Phillips said he did not attend the meeting because he was working at his full-time job at the time. He said he did not feel the action of the board was justified, and declined further comment.

“We tried talking to him. We need a bit of separation,” Giovanelli said at the meeting, adding that addressing the matter in an open meeting tarnished the “credibility of the police officer in public.”

“That’s why we do this in executive session,” he noted.

Giovanelli explained that every township employee has “five equal bosses” and to avoid employees answering to more than one boss at a time the commissioners divide responsibilities, but board members keep their overall authority.

Giovanelli and Commissioner Mike Bogol handle police matters, Battaglini and Commissioner Mike Packrall oversee the road department and Commissioner Gus Impiccini directs the parks and recreation department.

“I will not stand for that from any employee of this township,” Giovanelli said of the incident. “His (Phillips) performance to this point has been adequate, however, no employer is going to tolerate that from an employee.”

The board practices “progressive discipline” in such matters and all township employees are subject to a one-year probationary period, the president said.

Phillips has been a part-time officer in the township for five months, he noted.

“He’s doing an adequate job,” he said. “We don’t want to lose him, but with him on probation he could have been fired on the spot.”

After the meeting, a resident in the audience handed over a written statement to Giovanelli, lodging a complaint against Phillips. During the meeting, the woman accused Phillips of talking negatively about township residents.

Giovanelli declined comment on the complaint.

“Not until the investigation is complete,” he said.

In other matters, the commissioners voted to buy a new police vehicle after receiving a letter from state Rep. H. William DeWeese (D-Waynesburg). The letter states that barring any unforeseen federal emergency the state representative promises to give the township funds to use at their discretion. They agreed to use $30,000 of that money to purchase a Dodge Charger for the township police force.

Packrall was concerned about not having the money in hand, however.

“I don’t have a problem getting a new police car,” he said “What happens if we don’t get the money?”

Giovanelli said the vehicle would cost approximately $29,000.

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