The chief or auditor should be monitoring the GPS logs ... oh wait ... we have neither.

Of course this is a way to spy on the officers. Dormont is less than one square mile...GPS? Our officers need GPS? I think the officers know their way around town. Of course this is a way to spy on the officers. The Borough Manager should not have a need to log into the site...leave that to the Mayor and Chief of police. They are responsible for the activities of the police department.

Current members of council think this is a useful way to spend tax dollars? They probably reason that if they can catch officers sitting idle they can fix the problem. Sitting idle is a big part of police work...watching, observing, waiting. Can I get a refund?

Why should any officer care if they are being spied on if they are doing what is right? I don't understand? Maybe it is for their protection has anyone thought of that?

It is yet AGAIN A WASTE OF MONEY, oh thats right Chief Ross is the one wasting our tax money on overtime.
It is pathetic that the Boro Mangaer acts this way on behalf of the community. How about doing your job instead of watching a GPS monitoring system. The dispatchers should have the GPS monitoring device not the Boro Manager, then I would believe it's purpose was for their protection, and not as a monitoring device.
Perhaps if he gives up the 40 hours wasted on his obsessing on the Police Department and actually does his real job he can eliminate the assistant boro manager postion, and SAVE TAX PAYERS MONEY! I think that would be $36,000 DOLLARS BACK INTO THE BUDGET, the Assistant Boro Manager made $24,000 for 8 months in 2010. Do we really need an Assistant Boro Manager for our small community??? I don't think so!

I must say 40 hours makes one stalker material. That GPS was purchased to satisfy Gino's creepy need to nail the police dept and Ross to the cross. Strictly for his vandictive need. And we are paying for it....shame, shame shame. Dormont Mom I do not think graphs and charts are Gino's forte hence the need for Ian. Seems as I listened to the hearing that nothing was any of Gino's work or research. It was obvious he took the word of a very inexperianced young man. When decisions in this case are rendered lets see how fast Gino throws Ian under the bus. By the sound of this artical sounds like council maybe throwing Gino under the bus as well. You see as the game unravils and people get cought in lies the game shifts and the people you thought had your back suddenly step away and let you fall !

Personally, at times I log on to several web sites in the evening and may leave the sites up overnight.

If our Borough Manager has access to a system that was approved by our Council and wasn't logging in, there would no doubt be complaints. I also agree with Lee's comment above.

I don't see anything wrong with logging on to a GPS monitoring web site and leaving it open for extended periods. 40 hours in one month averages to 10 hours a week, so I as a Borough Manager, log on to a site in the morning and leave it open for an average of two hours, maybe I look at it again in those two hours, maybe I don't. I'm not one to question our police as I have no reason to question their integrity, but certainly don't consider this excessive either.

I might however question, why is it necessary for a monitor to monitor the monitoring and report this publicly as a veiled accusation of abuse?

Borough Council approved it - we paid for it - I say use the technology.

Darren

"Some law enforcement administrators have strong positions on global positioning systems (GPS) in their departments’ vehicles. Those who use GPS tracking systems in their vehicles are satisfied for the most part... Controversy over the issue is growing as quickly with the spread of GPS technology."

Originally from: Law and Order Magazine, 2005
http://www.hendonpub.com/resources/articlearchive/details.aspx?ID=79

Number one Allegheny county 9-1-1 will give police departments GPS units for free and train the police as to how to use them, also free. These units are truley for officer safety. They are monitored by the dispatcher. Mt lebo has these units. Dormont paid $2,500 plus a monthly service fee. Dormonts units are worthless for officer safety they are not in real time. Facts. Gino's excuse that he logged on and forgot to log off is yet again ANOTHER lie. Gino logging on at midnights and weekends is not needed. Another thing that Gino and your wonderful council will not tell you is that the police want the damn GPS units they just don't want an unsworn non-police civilian to have access to the information, especially one that can't tell the truth to save his life and can do no wrong in council's eyes. He already admitted under oath he withheld information in a police investigation(you remember that Kim). Not one other manager in the south hills has this information at his finger tips. These cars are used for police investigations why would Gino even want to expose himself to the liability of being accused of tipping off a criminal? It's plain and simple and if you can't see it you need to open your eyes. HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THE POLICE ARE DOING!

I would like to formally submit my resume for the position of Borough Manager (Dormont, PA)!!! Oh, after the election of course.

I would like to state that the police have no problem with the GPS units as long as they are being viewed by police personnel and their immediate supervisor, the chief of police and/or mayor. Given Mr. Rizza's and current council's dislike for the police department, the police are concerned to whom police sensitive information is being distributed. For example, let's say a drug investigation is occuring involving a family member or friend of council or Mr.Rizza...this investigation and officer safety could be completely compromised if information is passed on to the intended suspect. This is why civilians are not privileged to police sensitive information. Another thing that still amazes me is why Mr. Rizza is allowed to blow threw the resident's money with no consequences. Spending $2500 on these GPS units and the $169/mo is absurd when they could have been FREE! That is $169/mo for as long as we have them! $2028/yr! This proves he wanted them for HIS personal use. He never approached anyone in the dept about getting them or options for less money. If Chief Ross would have gone out and spent this he would have been disciplined. After all, they disciplined him for allowing 3 officers to take off to golf in the DABA golf outing, which supports the athletic boosters of Dormont, and for not having a SECOND approval for a BUDGET LINE ITEM for footballs for the DARE program at Dormont Elem. It seems to me the Borough can spend unlimited funds on the pool, labor attorney bills, and

anything that seems to harass the police dept. I hope Mrs. Malka puts in her next State of the Borough address a chart showing all of this frivolous spending.

Lorenzo, again, what do the police officers have to hide? So what if someone is watching them - they are officers of the law and they are always doing the right thing. Why are people getting so bent over it. And Amy B. I think you need to leave the families of the council members out of this right now. The same thing can happen if a family member of the police department is being investigated. I have been around a lot longer then a lot of you people have and seriously, we do not want to go there do we? I am not sure of the law, but is Mr. Rizza breaking the law?

Lee, as I stated, they have nothing to hide nor do they have a problem with them. Initially, the reason they were purchased was for officer safety. How is Mr. Rizza keeping them safe by monitoring where they are? The calls go through county 911 and the police communicate with them. Calls don’t go through Mr. Rizza’s house and then he contacts the officers. How they were purchased was very underhanded. He did not discuss with anybody in the police dept about obtaining them. He did not want them for free through county 911 because they would not have given a borough manager access. The bigger problem is the money spent and the continual monthly fee. Conveniently, no one comments on that. Were you at the hearing for Chief Ross when the debate came up over his spending? He was reprimanded for not getting a second approval for something that was already approved in his budget. No one ever holds anyone else accountable for excessive spending in the borough. I did not accuse the council members' family or Mr. Rizza's of anything. I gave an example. He, nor ANY civilian, should have access to any police sensitive matters. They are the police for a reason.

Well everyone knows that Gino with held sensitive info from the police. He obtained police documents that he is not privledged to see. How wrong was that ? He is not a sworn in official and he failed to know his limits, for this we can be certain. And for that he should be fired. What makes you think he should be trusted with a GPS ? It is not that the police have anything to hide, how do we know Gino wont leak info on their where abouts ? Somebody should of explained to him his job duties from the gate. I would just like to be able to feel confident in our employee's and elected officials

Maybe Gino really does want to be police chief.

Well of Kim L. holds true to her testimony Gino won't be around much longer now will he? Remember what you testified to Kim " We would have to deal with him" we all heard it. Now deal with him or you can just let it go like every thing else he does. If I were him I'd do whatever I want there's no accountibility. Why would any one vote for you? You say one thing and do another. By the why your little secret is out the whole town knows your going to appeal the civil service commisions decision if it's not in your favor. Does this quote sound familiar " were not going to let Phil get away with this." Kim you looked like a fool and Phil's attorney had 15 min to prepare. Image what you will look like when he has a year. Did your rocket scientist attorney tell you that is about how long an appeal takes? Good job spending our money on all these legal fees but then again you won't even be on council when next year rolls around so what do you care. I want a front row ticket to that hearing watching each council member testify one at a time you can bet on that they will all take the stand. I just hope for your sake your cell phone records are introduced if your friend Malka was texting you!!!!!
'

Leigh, I think you are on to something. He did ask for a badge! He stated when he shows up on a scene, he should have one! HA! He should not be on a crime scene or investigation! If any other civilian did, they would be arrested!

He asked for a badge? Ha! He would be any citizen's worst nightmare if he had a badge and a gun. He is already a red-headed bully. Who is Rizza really working for? Feeding police info to anyone in particular?

The job of a borough manager is to manage the financials, do a budget that makes sense, not a wanna-be police officer.

With all of the boneheaded moves this clown has made - the "discount" police car that doesn't have locked back doors, allowing a criminal to escape, now paying for GPS which should've been free, spending his time stalking the police, demoting a great chief and royally screwing every borough employee and getting to each volunteer eventually, he should've been fired loooooooooong ago.

What does he have on these council people (not Joan) or are they just incredibly stupid? Methinks its the former.

Kudos to council person Joan Hodson for doing her job. The rest of you are a disgrace to your elected seat and May 17th can't get here soon enough. The residents have spoken. Look around at the support in signs alone. I attend meetings regularly and believe Joan Hosdson has given Gino many chances to prove his accountability. He continues to fail with his lies. For the rest of you who sit on council the only way to wake you up will be to rid the boro of your ineptness. I will say this group with the exception of Joan Hodson will go down in history as the council to have served this boro in the most unprofessional, misguided and mismanaged way. The only salvation for the residents is to know that the new council will act quickly and go into repair mode starting with some of your employment choices. I implore all of you that have continued to respond to these comments to do the only thing that will obviously make the real difference, and that is to get out and vote. Only you can make the real difference. Spread the word to everyone that it's time to make a change from lies and inuendos to transparency and honesty.

Bottom line it is an officer safety issue. No one except 911 dispatch and sworn police officers should have access to this information. Example, what happens if a criminal now gets hold of this information. Now he has access to where the police are in this town. And what if this person then harms a citizen or police officer. Is Council liable? We have an officer from another community in Mercy hospital as we speak. We've had 5 local police officers (3 City of Pgh., 1 Penn Hills, 1 State Trooper in Carnegie) & 1 FBI Agent killed in the last few years. It is open season on law enforcement. These guy have a difficult job and should not have to deal with this nonsense on top of it. What possible reason would Gino or Ian need this information other than harassment. This council needs to really look at what they've created and the possible liability issues. I can't believe they are all that blind. Even if they hate the police they have a responsibility to the citizens of Dormont. I just don't get it.

What I would like to know is WHY would Gino show up on ANY scene ? WTF We are NOT paying him to do that job. And his actual job is being done by his puppet Ian. I seriously doubt he know what his job even is. The writing is soooo on the wall FIRE HIM ! He is nothing but a wannabe ! And he is a danger to the security of this boro. Does anyone have any info how Gino got hold of that police report ?

The free county 911 system should have been installed instead of wasting money on the GPS units the borough purchased! Maybe they could sell them on Craigslist!

Gino should do the job he was hired to do and leave the police department alone!

I think its sad and rather telling that a GPS tracking supply company is using Dormont as a cautionary tale on its web site of how NOT to utilize GPS tracking equipment.
http://www.rmtracking.com/blog/2011/06/19/authorities-should-not-misuse-gps/
BTW are the citizens of Dormont still paying for the monitoring service? Why hasnt the fiscally responsible boro manager rectified this?