YOU would get arrested for this...they got sent home for a paid vacation
Posted 4:38 pm, September 12,
2014, by Nikki Krize,
MOUNT CARMEL TOWNSHIP —
Officers blamed for misbehavior are off the job in Northumberland County.
Four officers in Mount Carmel
Township are suspended after being blamed for throwing fireworks at another
police officer on duty in a neighboring department.
And although it may sound like
a prank, local leaders are taking it seriously.
Officers Michael Pitcavage,
Matthew Filarski, Patrick McAndrew and David Stamets were suspended last week
after an incident that happened on Labor Day, according to Mount Carmel
Township’s police chief.
A township official says the
four officers were off-duty when they were allegedly driving through Kulpmont
and threw a lit firework at a Kulpmont police officer’s car.
“I do feel what they did was
wrong as far as throwing something at a passing car. If you think about that
lady who got hit by that rock, that officer could’ve wrecked too,” Terry Goguts
said.
Authorities said the Kulpmont
police officer then chased the four off-duty cops and pulled them over. No
charges have been filed yet and the case was handed over to state police.
“They could have been
reprimanded other ways I think than being suspended. We need our cops in our
town,” Donna Kehler said.
The chief said because of the
suspensions, the department went from six full-time and six part-time officers
to four full-time and four-part time officers. But he said the Mount Carmel
Township police department still has 24/7 coverage.
The two full-time officers were
suspended with pay.
“Cops are held to a higher
standard. But they’re a bunch of young kids out having a good time,” Kehler
said.
“Why should somebody of that
authority not get in trouble for it?” Theresa Freeman asked.
Pitcavage is the police chief
of Kulpmont and McAndrew is also a part-time officer there. Both are still on
the job in Kulpmont. Borough officials in Kulpmont said it is a personnel
matter.
“I don’t think that’s right, I
really don’t,” Joe Bender said.
Newswatch 16 was unable to get
in touch with any of the suspended police officers.