2 more Philly cops under department scrutiny

BY DAVID GAMBACORTA, Daily News Staff Writer
Posted: October 05, 2012

THE HEADACHES keep mounting for the Philadelphia Police Department.

Internal Affairs investigations have been launched in the last week against two cops over separate, unrelated allegations of misconduct.

Officer Gerald Passalacqua, of the Narcotics Field Unit-South, became the subject of one of the investigations after hundreds of dollars vanished during a search of a house in South Philly, according to police sources.

The money was discovered, counted and placed on a table when the Narcotics Unit first searched the property, on Latona Street near 12th, early on Sept. 27, the sources said.

Passalacqua allegedly was left in charge of keeping an eye on the cash while his supervisor and other officers searched the rest of the property, the sources said.

Shortly after, however, the money vanished from the table, only to be found stashed in a couch.

Passalacqua, a 19-year veteran of the force, has been placed on desk duty pending the outcome of the investigation, said Deputy Commissioner Richard Ross.

On Tuesday night, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said that Internal Affairs also is investigating an allegation that a K-9-unit officer was involved in the rape of a woman in Northeast Philadelphia over the weekend.

Ramsey told Fox 29 on Wednesday that the woman was "heavily intoxicated" Saturday night and that the officer, who has been placed on desk duty, drove her home.

Ramsey said the District Attorney's Office and the police Special Victims Unit are investigating the case as well.

- Staff writer Barbara Laker

contributed to this report.

Contact David Gambacorta at gambacd@phillynews.com or 215-854-5994. Follow him on Twitter at @dgambacorta.

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