5 members of Kiski Township Police Department resign, claiming harassment, intimidation

The Kiski Township Police Department is virtually dismantled after four of the township’s six officers, including former Officer in Charge Sgt. Thomas Dessell, and a police secretary resigned.

“The walk-off is due to the harassment and intimidation brought on by township supervisors,” Dessell said.

State police are handling emergency calls from Kiski Township and North Apollo, said a trooper at the state police Kittanning station. North Apollo contracts with Kiski Township for police protection.

North Apollo Mayor June Kilgore said she was meeting with Council Ray Rusz on Friday to discuss the walk-out.

“My concern is for the residents of our town and the protection they deserve,” she said.

Related:

• Kiski Township cops cite 'hostile work environment' in resignation letters

Phone calls to the Kiski Township Police Department were greeted by a voicemail message stating the department is not taking calls and directing residents to dial 911.

Kiski Township officials, though, say the department continues to operate.

The township police are operating with new Chief Lee Bartolicius and the Apollo-Ridge School District resource and police officer, said Patrick Bono, township secretary and treasurer.

All emergency calls for Kiski Township and North Apollo are being handled by state police, said Tim Miller, the township’s solicitor.

“The board of supervisors and the police chief want to restaff and hire new police officers,” he said Friday afternoon.

But that might not happen quickly.

Supervisors will need to approve each new police officer during a board meeting, Miller said.

Miller declined to say much about the resignation of four police officers and the police secretary on Thursday and Friday.

In representing the supervisors and township, Miller said he cannot comment on pending litigation.

Dessell this week presented supervisors with a labor union grievance accusing some of them of harassment and intimidation. Dessell also filed the grievance with his union, the United Steelworkers.

Miller acknowledged receipt of the grievance and added that Dessell indicated he will file a lawsuit next week.

Dessell said he had “no comment at this time” in regard to a lawsuit.

Miller, representing the supervisors, said the board had no comment on Dessell’s grievance.

“They will not discuss any active or pending litigation,” he said.

United Steelworkers District 10 director Bernie Hall said, “We are aware of the allegations and are working with our members to see that they get addressed.”

In the grievance, obtained by the Tribune-Review, Dessell accuses some supervisors of creating a “hostile work environment, by threatening and attempting to intimidate me and other officers in the course of our official duties as a police officer.”

Examples include allegations of retaliation from supervisors when Dessell said he followed rules and laws, as well as accusations that township supervisors viewed police surveillance cameras in the police station on their phones and asked police to target nonresidents for law enforcement.

Although Dessell said he and Miller told supervisors they couldn’t view the surveillance cameras without proper authorization, Dessell said he repeatedly was “verbally attacked” by supervisors over the issue.

Miller would not corroborate the story because he said he cannot discuss attorney-client privileged information.

The Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network conducted an audit of security practices with the video cameras in the Kiski Township Police Department. The audit addressed concerns over access to the system, said Myles Snyder, state police communications director.

Anyone who can view the camera feed should receive background checks and training, Snyder said.

“Township supervisors elected instead to terminate the video feed,” he said. “There was no indication the supervisors viewed or accessed any sensitive information.”

Dessell said Thursday that he stands by his complaint.

“I have enough corroborating evidence that all of these allegations are true, and I am looking for a resolution in the near future,” he said.

New police chief

During their meeting Wednesday, supervisors appointed Bartolicius as police chief.

Supervisors voted 4-1, with Sherry Tamski casting the dissenting vote.

Previously, Dessell was the highest-ranking officer in the department with three full-time and three part-time officers.

Bartolicius worked for police departments in Frazer, Duquesne, Vandergrift and East Deer, among other locations.

Bono did not have details on Bartolicius’ salary.

The township’s last police chief, Jerrod Thompson, left in 2019.

Tamski had no comment about voting against Bartolicius’ appointment.

Staff writer Joyce Hanz contributed.