Appeal hearings for former Leet Police chief's termination postponed indefinitely

An appeal hearing for the termination of former Leet Police Chief Michael Molinaro has been postponed indefinitely.

Civil Service commissioners unanimously voted at a special meeting on Sept. 29 to approve a postponement request from attorneys representing the township and the former chief.

Attorney Massimo Terzigni of Joel Sansone Law represents Molinaro, while David Mitchell of the firm Campbell Durrant represents Leet.

Commission chairman Tom Weber said the special meeting was necessary to address their request.

The next regular civil service meeting was scheduled for Oct. 11. The hearings were scheduled for Oct. 6 and 7.

“I would really like to get these hearings going,” Weber said. “When both parties request a continuation, it’s almost something that you have to do legally. There is (a reason for the delay), but I don’t feel comfortable going into that because it could be invading privacy or matters (that are) out of our hands.

“As far as I’m concerned, this is pretty much an open and shut matter. My frustration is that the request for the continuance did not come with any new dates for us to consider. I have requested, as soon as possible, that we be given new dates in order to get these appeal hearings started.”

Civil service solicitor Robert McTiernan said on a phone call with the Tribune-Review that the joint request was so the respective legal teams could work out some “evidentiary issues.”

McTiernan said he and commissioners would not comment any further until the hearings take place.

Mitchell did not return calls seeking comment.

Terzigni did give a statement, but no explanation about the postponement.

“My client is frustrated with how long the process is taking, but is looking forward to presenting his case and clearing his name before the civil service commission,” he said. “When that does happen, we are confident that justice will prevail.

Michael Molinaro, a Leet officer since 2013 and chief since March 2021, was fired July 25 at a township commissioners’ workshop meeting.

The termination was also ratified at an Aug. 6 meeting following scrutiny about commissioners handled the situation the previous month.

Molinaro had been on paid leave since April, pending an investigation. Township commissioners approved terminating Molinaro after meeting privately during the workshop and then adding it to the agenda.

The former chief filed a federal lawsuit against the township alleging he was placed on administrative leave because of his support of their political opponents.

He also claimed in the lawsuit the township violated his civil rights, claiming retaliation against his politics and his speaking out against reinstating an officer.

Molinaro is seeking unspecified damages.

The township filed a response to the civil suit in July claiming Molinaro violated Pennsylvania’s First Class Township Code when he attempted to fire Officer Nicklas Vigliotti and was insubordinate when instructed by to put Vigliotti back on the schedule.

The township also said in its legal filing that Molinaro attempted to steal money during the execution of a search warrant, deleting body cam footage and confronted a resident about a social media comment.

Attorney Joel Sansone said earlier this year that he and Monlinaro vehemently deny all the township’s allegations, and called them “smokescreens to cover up a political assassination.”

A court date has not been set.

Officer Stephen Panormios was appointed interim chief in April.

Commissioners on Aug. 8 accepted Panormios’ resignation. Brian Jameson was named the police department’s new temporary leader at that meeting.

He was selected out of two candidates, and was the only one who could commit full-time.

Jameson, 50, of Ambridge, has more than 26 years of law enforcement experience, along with degrees in criminal justice from Fairmont State University and Community College of Beaver County.

The department has five full-time and three part-time officers.

Other civil service business

Civil service commissioners voted to keep using Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission standards for physical testing for new officers.

There was some discussion about possibly modifying testing with a different set of standards based on age and gender.

Information about MPOETC’s fitness assessments is available at mpoetc.psp.pa.gov.

Weber said the township department’s fitness tests will continue to be done at the Allegheny County Police Academy.

The testing is necessary to create a civil service eligibility list for possible future hires.

Civil service commissioners also discussed expanding its advertising due to a lack of candidates.

They talked about having the township create accounts on various online job boards and exploring adds on other print media. No formal vote was taken on this issue.