Arnold police chief, 2nd officer leave as new mayor, council seated

Arnold police Chief Eric Doutt quit before the city’s new mayor and council could vote to demote him Tuesday.

Another officer, Richard Pechin, is leaving with him.

Newly elected Mayor Shannon Santucci had long stated her intent to remove Doutt as the city’s police chief.

Santucci, newly elected Councilman Aaron Moore, and reelected Councilman Phil McKinley took their offices when council reorganized Tuesday.

Plans to demote Doutt to patrol officer were rendered moot after council and city Solicitor Jaclyn Shaw were made aware that Doutt had submitted a letter dated Friday announcing his intention to retire.

Doutt’s last shift with the city ended at 4 p.m. Monday, his letter states. He did not attend Tuesday’s council meeting.

“I hope to be remembered as a compassionate agent of the law that respected the entire community and our citizens,” Doutt wrote in a three-page letter. “It was never about the badge I wore, and it was always about how I carried myself while I was wearing it. I believe my job was a privilege and I love and respect the city and its citizens that I had the opportunity to serve for the past 33½ years.”

Politics influenced his decision, Doutt wrote.

“As I look back over my many years in this job, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that, with some very honorable exceptions, politics and certain politicians have tended to make policing a challenge instead of an honorable service to the community,” he wrote.

“The community and our governing body should attempt to listen to the constructive voices of experience within the police force and allow operational decisions to be made for sound operational reasons,” he wrote. “Emotions, knee-jerk reaction and personal objectives/agendas should never be included in decision making for the police or any part of our local government.”

Council voted unanimously to appoint Officer Rob Haus as Arnold’s interim police chief. Santucci said she plans to name a new chief by council’s meeting in February.

Haus was first hired as a part-time officer in 2017.

Council took no action on Pechin’s resignation. In a letter dated Monday, Pechin said his last day will be Jan. 14.

Shaw said council can vote to accept his resignation when it meets Jan. 9.

In his letter, Pechin described Doutt as “the best possible and most qualified chief of police” the department and city had.

“Chief Doutt is set to retire due to reasons out of his control, the police department and community will greatly suffer, and I refuse to work for a below standard department that I foresee coming into place,” Pechin’s letter states.

In December, Allegheny Township supervisors voted to hire Pechin as a school resource officer.

Manager re-hired

Arnold Council voted unanimously to rehire Mario Bellavia as the city’s manager, effective Jan. 15.

Bellavia did not attend the meeting.

Bellavia was placed on leave in late September and formally fired by Arnold’s previous council by a 4-1 council vote in October.

Santucci said Bellavia’s salary had not been discussed. Because his pay is set by council resolution, Shaw said Bellavia’s salary will be the same as it was before he was fired.

His most recent salary was not immediately available. When Bellavia was advanced from city clerk to administrator in February 2020, his salary was increased from $42,000 to $65,000.

In council’s reorganization, McKinley was named director of accounts and finance; Councilwoman Debbie Vernon was named director of streets and public improvements; Adam Zweig was named director of public safety; and Moore was named director of parks and buildings.