Embattled Charleroi officer fired
Notice: Undefined variable: article_ad_placement3 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/single.php on line 128
Charleroi Regional Police Department fired one of its part-time officers a month after his girlfriend and another woman were allegedly found in his personal vehicle with drug paraphernalia.
Officer Steven Kenyon, who had been off the work schedule since May 16, was officially removed from the roster during the regional police department’s board meeting in Charleroi Wednesday night.
The regional police department patrols in the Mon Valley towns of Charleroi, North Charleroi and Speers.
Speers Mayor Bill Lee, who is chairman of the police department’s personnel committee, said the decision came after they conducted an internal investigation into the situation. He would not elaborate on what was determined during the investigation.
“Part of (his dismissal) was on the grounds that it was conduct unbecoming of a police officer,” Lee said. “The decision wasn’t made on a whim.”
On May 15, a Charleroi patrolman pulled behind a car parked on Fallowfield Avenue and arrested the two women inside after he allegedly found syringe caps and other paraphernalia inside. Kenyon was not inside the car at the time, but his girlfriend, Jennifer Crabb, 26, of 120 First Ave., New Eagle, and an acquaintance, Sheila Urwin, 52, of 1113 Route 837, Monongahela, were arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
The two women admitted to shooting heroin, according to court documents, and Crabb told investigators she had swallowed two empty stamp bags. The officer said he found two syringe caps in the car and a syringe on the street near the vehicle. Police said they also found suspected morphine pills in Urwin’s possession.
Kenyon has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the situation. However, he has not worked for the police department since the incident, and Lee said it was best for the board to notify him that his services would not be needed in the future.
“There was a discussion whether to leave him on (the roster) and not give him any time,” Lee said. “That wouldn’t have been fair. (The dismissal) lets him go and lets him find other work.”