Oct 2, 2020 2 min read

A Donora police officer has filed a complaint against the borough over a vulgar text message from the police superintendent that he said defamed him.

Keith A. Charlton, a Donora resident and 32-year police officer, met April 19 with then-borough council President Joseph Greco and Councilman Michael McDowell to discuss a scheduling request.

Looking to retire in several years, Charlton sought a Monday-through-Friday daylight shift, to which the councilmen were amenable.

Greco told Charlton later that night that he received a text message of approximately 30 words from police Superintendent James Brice that he believes were meant for a junior officer.

The suit filed in Washington County Court quotes a message describing a sex act, the scheduling issue and the use of a vulgar term. It concluded with the words, “I hate this man,” the suit states.

The message was later disseminated to the mayor and other council members.

Charlton alleges that Brice knew the comments in the message were “totally false” but were “written and sent for the sole purpose of undermining and embarrassing” Charlton among fellow police officers, borough officials and citizens.

Charlton is described in the suit as virtuous and lawful, and the police officer claims Brice acted intentionally, maliciously and with reckless disregard of the truth, an impression after the sending of the text message that the superintendent failed to correct.

Charlton is seeking a jury trial and more than $50,000 in damages.