Wife of suspended police officer addresses East Bethlehem board
FREDERICKTOWN – The wife of a twice-suspended township police officer addressed the board of commissioners during their regular meeting Monday evening. Sgt. James T. Phillips, a part-time officer with the East Bethlehem Township Police Department, was suspended for the first time on Aug. 14 after an argument over the phone with Vice President Paul Battaglini. He was suspended a second time on Aug. 29 after a special meeting was held to investigate a citizen complaint against the officer, President Mark Giovanelli said, declining further comment on the second suspension.
The board voted to continue the officer’s suspension until a date could be set for a hearing before the board. Giovanelli said the board hopes to set a date today.
Melissa Phillips said her husband should not have been suspended and that he “wants to make (the township) a clean and safe environment.”
She claims her family has suffered harassment from individuals her husband has arrested and said the argument between her husband and the commissioner occurred when he “received a demeaning and vulgar phone call” from Battaglini.
Battaglini said Giovanelli was present for the phone call, which was “neither demeaning or vulgar.”
“All he had to do was do what I asked him,” Battaglini said.
Giovanelli said the incident occurred when Phillips spoke to Battaglini over the phone in a disrespectful manner after Battaglini had asked the officer to investigate a burning complaint.
Melissa Phillips said she addressed the board because she “wanted the truth to come out.”
She said her husband was promoted to Sergeant on July 17 and had made 87 arrests in the five months he had been working for the township.
Before the August meeting, Phillips wrote a letter to the board requesting they discuss his first suspension in an open meeting rather than during an executive session, which is the usual procedure when personnel issues come before the board.
Phillips said he did not feel the action of the board was justified, and declined further comment in a previous interview.
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.
The board practices “progressive discipline” in such matters and all township employees are subject to a one-year probationary period, the president said.
After the August meeting, a resident in the audience handed over a written statement to Giovanelli, lodging a complaint against Phillips. During that meeting, the resident had accused Phillips of talking negatively about township residents.
Solicitor Brian Teslovich said the delay to set the date for the hearing and a delay in sending out a letter to Phillips concerning his second suspension was because the board must secure another attorney to represent them so that he can present the case at the hearing without a conflict of interest.