Southwest Greensburg police officer charged with official oppression

A Southwest Greensburg police officer is facing criminal charges because investigators allege he pulled a woman over in his personal car and while not on duty, according to court papers.

James Edward Shaw, 54, of Mt. Pleasant Township is charged with a misdemeanor count of official oppression.

Westmoreland County detectives were notified that on Oct. 27, a woman was driving to work north on Route 119 in East Huntingdon near the Westmoreland-Fayette border when she noticed a black sports car traveling the same direction, according to court papers.

She told investigators she moved into the left lane to pass a car in front of her, but then switched back to the right lane after noticing emergency-type lights in the sports car, believing it might be a police officer.

The sports car driver pulled up next to her, rolled the passenger window down and attempted to show the woman what she believed might have been a badge, according to court papers. The sports car then got behind her, and the driver turned on blue and red flashing lights, police said. Both pulled over near the Scottdale exit.

The woman said she saw the driver carrying a school police officer badge as he approached her vehicle, according to court papers. She didn’t roll her window down and instead contacted 911 as he walked away. Both cars kept driving, eventually pulling off the Madison exit of Interstate 70 after dispatchers sent a state trooper.

Shaw told the trooper the woman was speeding and made an unsafe lane change and acknowledged he wasn’t in his jurisdiction when attempting the traffic stop, according to court papers. The woman was permitted to leave after troopers determined she didn’t do anything wrong.

Shaw told detectives during an interview last month he was not working at the time and keeps the flashing lights in his personal vehicle because he “works a lot,” Detective Randy Gardner wrote in a complaint.

Shaw was removed as a part-time officer in Southwest Greensburg when charges were filed Feb. 5, according to solicitor Gary Falatovich. He is on unpaid leave from the borough department. Falatovich said Shaw also worked as an officer for another municipality and a school district but did not identify them in a statement.

His attorney could not be reached. Shaw has not been arraigned on the charge. A preliminary hearing is set for March 3.