Leet Civil Service commissioners uphold termination of former police chief, deny appeal

Former Leet Police Chief Michael Molinaro was rightfully fired for falsifying documents, insubordination and other actions, according to the township civil service commission.

The three-person panel unanimously voted Nov. 1 to deny Molinaro’s termination appeal.

None of the nearly 30 people in the audience spoke during the two public comment portions of the meeting.

Molinaro declined to comment after the vote and walked away when asked if he would appeal the decision. He could appeal the ruling to Allegheny County Common Plea Court.

Civil service chairman Tom Weber stressed the many hours he and his colleagues spent carefully going through all the evidence prior to the vote. They deliberated for five nights with the last being Oct. 18.

“We feel we that have done our due diligence here on behalf of the township and Mr. Molinaro,” Weber said. “We allowed the evidence that was given to us to be our bible.”

Molinaro’s defense attorney Erik Yurkovich and prosecutors, attorney David Mitchell of the firm Campbell Durrant and township Solicitor Stephen Chesney, were not at the meeting.

When reached via phone after the meeting, Chesney declined to comment.

The lawyers made their respective cases Aug. 1. It was the seventh day of hearings that began June 21.

Civil service commissioners also voted Nov. 1 to accept the findings of fact and conclusions of law regarding the appeal.

A civil service commission complied a report of about 40 pages to summarize the township’s allegations against Molinaro, the civil service commissioners’ responses, and its explanation as to why and how they ruled.

Civil service vice chairman Curt Bubb voted to support one charge — submission of false information to the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission regarding the termination of part-time Patrolman Nick Vigliotti.

Bubb said he felt that was the strongest case made by the township to fire Molinaro, but that the other claims did not rise to the level of discharge.

Molinaro testified at the Aug. 1 hearing he had been having issues with Vigliotti that required counseling 15 to 20 times in seven months. He said he gave Vigliotti a December deadline to resign or be fired.

The deadline passed and Molinaro waited until Jan. 18, 2022, to file a separation form with MPOETC.

During questioning by the township’s attorneys, Molinaro said he did not provide Vigliotti with any disciplinary letters or written notifications.

Vigliotti submitted a letter of resignation on Jan. 24, 2022, and later filed a complaint the following month after finding out about the MPOETC separation form.

Molinaro testified he did not give Vigliotti any notice of termination and followed past practices, despite the termination notice being required under department policy.

The Leet Township commissioners refused to accept Vigliotti’s resignation letter and ordered him to be put back on the schedule.

Molinaro was also accused of incompetence, insubordination, attempting to steal money while executing a search warrant, disobeying orders and lying to the township commissioners.

Molinaro denied any wrongdoing.

Civil service commission Secretary Don Birnie said he found the township’s witnesses to be more credible than the former chief.

“I thought the attorneys for the township made a very clear and convincing argument for the charges that they made,” Birnie said. “Mr. Molinaro’s testimony conflicted in many cases with many witnesses. If you have one guy saying one thing, and 14 other people saying something different, somebody’s wrong.”

Weber echoed Birnie’s comments about the witnesses, particularly the officers who testified against their former boss.

A copy of the findings of fact were not provided at the meeting.

Civil service Solicitor Robert McTiernan said it is a township document, and would need to be requested through the Leet Township office.

Emails were sent late Nov. 1 requesting the documents.

The township commissioners do not have to vote to accept the civil service’s findings of fact, and no further action is necessary from the Civil Service Commission.

Molinaro, a Leet officer since 2013 and chief since March 2021, was fired July 25, 2022, at a township commissioners’ workshop meeting.

The termination was ratified at an Aug. 6, 2022, township commissioners’ regular voting session following scrutiny about how commissioners handled the situation the previous month.

Brian Jameson was named interim chief and is still in that position.

“It appeared to be to me that everything was professionally done,” Jameson said of the hearings and civil service procedures.

He declined to comment on the ruling.

Molinaro filed a federal lawsuit against the township in June 2022 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.

That lawsuit was dismissed earlier this year.