Dormont Hires Former Pittsburgh Police Lieutenant, Wilkinsburg Chief As Interim Chief

Dormont Borough has hired an interim chief with 36 years of police experience to help ease tensions between the police department and administration and to help search for a permanent chief.

Richard Dwyer’s career includes two years as Wilkinsburg’s chief and 12 years as a Pittsburgh lieutenant. He'll be paid $5,500 a month with no health benefits and starts Tuesday.

“Council today has taken an important step in regaining control of the borough's police department and improving public safety,” President Kim Lusardi said at Monday’s legal and finance committee meeting.

Dwyer’s “guidance is just what the department needs to get itself back on track,” Lusardi said.

Dwyer will be a liaison between borough Manager Gino Rizza and the department, “which will no doubt quiet some of the fears that have been expressed by the officers about civilian management of police business,” Lusardi said.

The position is temporary, but open-ended, Rizza said.

“He has the experience and connections to help us pick the permanent chief,” he said. “I think the police officers will get along with him because of his experience and professionalism.”

“We need to have a leader for the police department,” said Councilwoman Laurie Malka, who along with council members Drew Lehman and Heather Schmidt made up the interview committee. Several candidates were interviewed.

“I think he’s going to make a perfect fit for this borough, I really do,” Lusardi said.

Rizza and Lusardi said Dwyer’s hiring does not mean that council has already made up its mind to fire Phil Ross.

Ross he expects to be fired.

“We cannot have our minds made up,” Lusardi said.

Ross had been chief for nearly two years but was to sergeant in March after council lost faith in his ability to lead the department. Ross is his demotion to the borough civil service commission.

Ross was on June 14 for ordering the disconnection of GPS units the borough purchased for the police cars earlier this year.

Ross said he was acting under Mayor Tom Lloyd’s orders that the units be disconnected.

Lloyd and others contend Rizza uses the units to spy on police, which Rizza denies. A pre-disciplinary hearing for Ross scheduled for last Friday was continued because of a scheduling conflict. The hearing, known as a Loudermill hearing, is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Disagreements over who has ultimate control over the police department have festered for some time, with both Lloyd and Rizza—through council—claiming authority.

Tensions escalated after Rizza was ticketed last month for parking in a spot at the borough building lot designated for another tenant.

Officer James Burke issued the ticket. After getting the ticket, Rizza entered the police department through a door inside the building for which he has an electronic key pass, Burke cited him for defiant trespass.

Ross contended Rizza wasn’t allowed to enter that way, saying sensitive materials were in the area and a juvenile holding cell was visible. Rizza should have waited for an officer to meet him at the door and escort him, according to Ross.

Burke was suspended, then to patrolman instead of being fired over the incident. The trespassing charge has also been dropped.

Rizza said he needed to get to a meeting and all other spots were taken, and that he only intended to park there until another spot opened up. He has paid the parking ticket.

A related signed Thursday by a police union representative and a police union attorney acknowledged Rizza is permitted to enter the station, the trespassing charge was inappropriate, and that council has the “ultimate authority to hire and discipline its police officers, subject only to the collective bargaining agreement and the Pennsylvania Borough Code.”

The statement also acknowledged the mayor cannot direct police officers to disconnect or damage the GPS units or other equipment the borough owns.

Dwyer will not have arrest powers, but can carry a gun.

"He is here to help the department get back on its feet after a period of extraordinarily bad leadership and to assist the borough council in its search for a permanent chief of police. He is well qualified for both tasks," Lusardi said.