Politics & Government

Dormont's Acting Chief: Borough Never Unprotected

Richard Dwyer said disputed the mayor's claims the borough was without police protection Thursday and said his suspension—overturned by council—stemmed from his looking into ticketing dismissals.

Dormont’s acting police chief disputed the mayor’s claims that the borough was without police protection Thursday and said problems between him and the mayor stem from his looking into ticket dismissals.

Mayor Tom Lloyd told Richard Dwyer on that he was suspended for seven days without pay beginning at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday over the incident, though council quickly reinstated him as of 8:30 a.m.

The suspension—part of ongoing squabbles involving the mayor, the administration and police—stems from Dwyer’s decision not to keep daylight officers late while the three incoming officers were at hearings in Mt. Lebanon.

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Lloyd said Dwyer should have kept one or both daylight officers on with overtime pay. Dwyer said he’s trying to curb overtime.

Dormont is part of a mutual-aid agreement with the South Hills Area Council of Governments and officers from area municipalities can be in the borough within minutes, Dwyer said Tuesday during a news conference.

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“We back them up. They back us up,” he said. “The Borough of Dormont is never without police presence … It’s all set up through dispatch. It’s all automatic.”

Lloyd suggested the borough was without coverage for about 75 minutes. But Dwyer said the first officer was back at 3:20 p.m., the second at 3:37 p.m. and the third at 4 p.m.

And as for the supposed suicidal person call that Lloyd said an officer had to handle alone, Dwyer said it involved an intoxicated man at a pizza shop, but the report made no mention of suicide.

As for the mayor’s claims that public safety is paramount, Dwyer said the mayor didn’t seem concerned about a situation Friday in which an officer responded to a report of a possible attempted child abduction, yet failed to put out an alert for more than two hours.

The officer even went to lunch for before eventually putting out the alert, Dwyer said. He wouldn’t identify the officer, but when asked if the officer could be disciplined, he said “possibly.”

Dwyer said the officer explained the resident didn’t want TV crews showing up at her house, but Dwyer said the safety of borough's children was more pressing concern. And the resident's name would not have been put out.

Dwyer’s suspension had been anticipated; Manager Gino Rizza had a letter from the borough solicitor to immediately override any suspension.

Dwyer said Lloyd was upset that he was looking into .

“I must have stepped on a real nerve,” he said.

Lloyd said Dwyer “can look at tickets all he wants.”

“I am sick and tired of him," Lloyd said. "He doesn’t give a damn about the borough. All he cares about is his $5,500” monthly pay.

Dwyer, Rizza and the borough solicitor maintain Lloyd doesn’t have the authority to dismiss tickets or authorize anyone to.

Lloyd he does and the president of the state mayors' assocation .

Dwyer said he planned on asking the Allegheny County District Attorney for clarification.

Even if it turns out the mayor does have the authority, Dwyer and Rizza said the system lacks accountability.

And the mayor still wouldn't have the authority to dismiss tickets for state motor vehicle code violations, according to Dwyer. Lloyd has said he doesn’t dismiss those, but Dwyer said he has dismissed about 30.

Rizza sent a memo Friday to the desk officers directing them to no longer dismiss tickets, regardless of what Lloyd says.

Police aren’t being sent after residents, he said, but tickets are a source of revenue for the borough, which has among the highest millage rate in the county.

Since 2010, he said, more than $30,000 in tickets have been dismissed.

Rizza said he thinks Lloyd has a personal vendetta with him and Dwyer because they've been looking into of the ticket situation.

“The mayor’s overstepping his authority,” he said.

As for Dormont’s making the news lately for the tickets, the suspension and ongoing strife involving council, the mayor and the police department, Rizza said it’s unneeded.

Dormont is a great community with great residents and businesses.

“All this stuff is a black eye,” he said.


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