Editorial: Shawn Denning’s actions betrayed people and police
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Shawn Denning has admitted to drug crimes.
The former Greensburg police chief was arrested in January 2023. Federal charges were filed against him as part of a methamphetamine and cocaine investigation detailing 16 months of activity. That puts the start of the probe before taking over the department as interim chief in January 2022 and being given the job outright two months later.
On Tuesday, Denning stood in the federal courthouse in Pittsburgh and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute. He remains free on bond pending an Aug. 13 sentencing.
This brings an end to the questions about what will happen with Denning’s federal case — although not the local case still pending in Westmoreland County court over a backpack of other substances missing from the Greensburg evidence room.
It barely scratches the surface of the damage that behavior like Denning’s does to his community and other police officers.
A police officer — any officer — is a person of authority and a source of help. No one is likely to turn to a drug dealer for assistance in an emergency.
A police officer — every officer — should be a model for following the law. He or she is obligated to demonstrate where the lines are and how not to cross them.
A police chief? That is someone who is not only a leader for the residents but also a leader of other officers. A police chief demonstrates what is acceptable behavior for every person in the department.
Denning is not the first law enforcement officer to be arrested. He is not the first in Westmoreland County, nor the first to lead a law enforcement agency. The county sheriff’s office has seen more than a few charges. The most prominent was former Sheriff Jonathan Held, whose public corruption case ended in a mistrial in 2018. He ultimately pleaded guilty in 2022, two years after leaving office and moving to Florida.
But something about Denning’s case seems so egregious. It wasn’t so much about opportunity as it was about orchestration. It involved a web of connections and a span of time where Denning the criminal hooked up an informant with dealers in California while Denning the cop was steadily promoted.
Denning’s actions obviously were unfair to the community. They likewise were a deep betrayal of every officer who honestly wears the uniform. Denning polluted their reputation.
The whole story unfolds like a movie about a crooked cop in the county seat, the kind of thing that plays well on the big screen. In real life, it is just sad for everyone involved.