Politics & Government

Councilwoman Questions Dormont Manager About Police GPS Units

Joan Hodson said the borough manager's time spent logged on to the GPS monitoring site appeared excessive.

The Dormont manager’s time spent logged onto the administrative site for GPS systems the borough recently had installed in its police cars appears “excessive,” according to Councilwoman Joan Hodson.

Council approved the purchase of the five units earlier this year, citing officer safety. But some people have suggested the units could be used so Gino Rizza could spy on police.

Hodson didn't use that word, but she also did not answer when asked after the meeting if she thought Rizza was spying.

Find out what's happening in Dormont-Brooklinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I just think that it's excessive," she said of his time spent logged on to the monitoring site.

Rizza denied spying.

Find out what's happening in Dormont-Brooklinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Absolutely not," he said, when asked if he was spying on police after the meeting.

In April, Hodson said, Rizza was logged on for more than 40 hours. She listed various dates and the time spent logged on, including periods of several hours and periods in the early morning.

Rizza said the long log-on periods were because he keeps the site open on his computer, not because he's actively looking at it.

Hodson said after the meeting that she could accept that explanation, though she still found the time excessive. "That's just my opinion," she said.

Hodson, chair of the public safety committee, declined to say where she obtained the monitoring report.

Besides Rizza, four desk officers and five sergeants have access to the GPS monitoring site.

The five units cost about $2,500 and the borough pays a $169 monthly fee.

While the GPS units are for officer safety, Rizza said, they’re also a management tool.

The system allows for tracking of mileage, which can help plan for maintenance, he said.

Also, the system can track how long patrol cars idle, which also factors into upkeep. One hour of idling, he said, is equivalent of driving 37 miles.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here