Police chief back from suspension
FREDERICKTOWN – The police chief in East Bethlehem Township is back on the job after being suspended in January during an investigation into an assault on a local commissioner.
East Bethlehem commissioners voted March 8 to return Chief Mark Pompe to the schedule after the investigation into the assault on commissioner Paul Battaglini determined no charges would be filed against the chief, township officials said this week.
“We do not believe there will be any more charges filed,” said township Commissioner Leisa Conklin, who co-chairs the township’s police oversight committee.
Battaglini was assaulted about 11:13 p.m. Dec. 16 in a restroom in Riviera Restaurant and Lounge on Front Street following the township’s Christmas party. State police later arrested David A. Lingis, 37, of Deemston, on charges stemming from the assault, which resulted in Battaglini being flown by helicopter to Allegheny General hospital, Pittsburgh, for treatment of a brain bleed.
Lingis is awaiting trial in Washington County Court on charges of aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment.
Police said bar patrons told them Lingis was the only other person in the restroom with Battiglini when they heard a commotion.
It was not known Thursday what precipitated council’s action against Pompe. The minutes of the commissioners’ Jan. 16 meeting indicate they suspended Pompe for 30 days with pay “pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.” Battaglini abstained from voting on that motion.
The chief’s suspension was continued at the commissioners’ Feb. 23 meeting “based on information received from the investigating officer and likelihood of charges being filed,” township records show.
Pompe said Thursday state police have already “dealt with” the matter.
“I’m not under investigation,” Pompe said.
His representative at Teamsters Local 585 in Washington, Jon Bedillion, declined to comment on the matter, other than to say Pompe is back to work.
Township solicitor Blaine Black said Washington County District Attorney Gene Vittone looked into the incident at the Christmas party and chose not to proceed with charges against the chief.
Vittone said his office did review the evidence gathered by state police in the Battaglini assault.
“We investigated, and we charged the person we thought was responsible,” Vittone said.
The assault on Battaglini came at a time when the township commissioners were reviewing the $100,000 annual cost of maintaining the local police department, of which Pompe is the only full-time officer.
The commissioners are considering several options, including joining a regional police department, because it’s becoming more difficult to find part-time officers to patrol the township 56 hours a week, Conklin said.
“It has become quite costly to run our department,” she said.
Staff writer Gideon Bradshaw contributed to this report.