Pittsburgh names police policy reviewer

Associated Press
Posted: February 19, 2013

PITTSBURGH - A former Western Pennsylvania prosecutor has been hired to review Pittsburgh police policies and procedures concerning officers who hold other jobs or own businesses not regulated by the police bureau, the city announced Monday.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's appointment of Steven Toprani, former district attorney of Washington County, follows the FBI's seizure of boxes of documents from police headquarters this month. Officials said records involving secondary employment, training, and travel were taken.

Ravenstahl said in a statement that Toprani would begin work immediately and make recommendations to reform policies relating to governing officers who "work outside of work."

Last year, a former friend of Chief Nate Harper's was charged in connection with a bribery scheme on a contract to install radios and computers in police cars, and it emerged recently that Harper had helped form a private security consulting firm with a civilian clerk and three city officers, including one he had promoted. That prompted Ravenstahl to say that having a police chief in business with subordinates is unacceptable.

The city has also announced an audit of the Special Events office, which oversees officers' off-duty work. Controller Michael Lamb said his office was looking at how the police handled money paid by private entities for security services.

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