Former Kiski Township sergeant sues supervisors, claiming threats and intimidation

The battle between Kiski Township officials and former police officers there could be moving to court.

Former Kiski Township police Sgt. Tom Dessell filed a civil lawsuit Thursday in Armstrong County, accusing township supervisors of threats and intimidation over what he believes were illegal and corrupt acts.

Dessell and four members of the township’s police department said they quit in early July because they were harassed and intimidated by township supervisors.

Additionally, Dessell is accusing supervisors of violating the state’s whistleblower law by retaliating against him after he complained about the actions of supervisors.

Named as defendants in the suit are current Supervisors Mike Bash, Rich Frain, Dylan Foster and Chuck Rodnicki as well as former Supervisor Jeff Snyder for an unspecified amount of damages and legal expenses.

Township Solicitor Tim Miller said neither he nor the board can comment on active litigation at this time. Bash declined to comment because of Miller’s advice. A call to Snyder was not returned Friday.

“These guys have been in office far too long and have committed unethical and criminal acts, and it will come out in court,” said Dessell, 38, of Center Township, Indiana County.

He said he expects former township employees will come forward to corroborate his allegations.

Dessell’s complaint accuses supervisors of asking him to act illegally and unethically. Allegations included in the lawsuit:

• Bash and Frain are accused of asking Dessell to target nonresidents for arrests and traffic citations. Snyder is accused of telling Dessell he could lose his job after he was told to stop pulling over township residents.

• Snyder is accused of threatening Dessell for issuing parking tickets to acquaintances of one of Snyder’s friends, who complained about parking tickets at a supervisors meeting in 2021. During the meeting, Bash confirmed the citations were withdrawn.

• An argument between Snyder and Dessell caused Frain to intervene and escort Dessell out of a room for “fear of Snyder physically attacking” Dessell, according to the lawsuit.

• Earlier this year, Dessell gave a deposition for resident Gene Kline’s lawsuit against the township for illegal burning. Dessell claims Bash asked him to find a reason to arrest Kline. Dessell declined. According to the lawsuit, the township’s solicitor told supervisors they would have to settle the Kline lawsuit because of Dessell’s deposition.

• Dessell says he was concerned about supervisors’ illegal practice of viewing live interactions inside the police department via surveillance cameras in 2020 and 2021. Supervisors were accessing the system to “spy on ongoing investigations, including interviews with suspects and witnesses.”

Dessell filed a complaint about the cameras with Armstrong County District Attorney Katie Charlton and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. Charlton did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In 2020, when township police were working on a federal narcotics investigation, a supervisor viewing the surveillance cameras called Dessell to ask why so many people were in the police department. The operation had to be moved to protect the identity of the undercover agents, according to Dessell’s complaint.

• Some supervisors accused Dessell and other officers of drinking alcohol while in uniform and causing a disturbance at a local restaurant. Supervisors later withdrew the complaint.

“The accusations appeared to have been manufactured from whole cloth for the purpose of retaliating against the plaintiff,” according to Dessell’s complaint.

Related:

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

• Police sergeant alleges Kiski Township supervisor asked him to arrest resident suing the township

• Former Kiski Township police say supervisors harassed them with false reprimand over dinner party