Zelie police exonerated
ZELIENOPLE — Letters and video show no wrongdoing by borough police officers against a woman in April, officials said.
The borough police department showed its evidence Thursday to The Butler Eagle disputing claims of verbal misconduct to resident Lisa Brown by two unnamed police officers and by Police Chief Jim Miller.
Brown said she was stopped by two borough police officers about 2 a.m. April 9 and was accused of being under the influence. She also said one of the officers used profanity toward her.
She said when she tried submitting her complaint to the police department and inquiring about the officers’ names, Miller used “abusive” language toward her and screamed “at the top of his lungs.”
While Miller led the investigation of the two officers who stopped Brown, Mayor Tom Oliverio headed the investigation of Miller’s alleged actions.
Security video footage of the police department’s lobby was used in the borough’s investigation of Miller.
The roughly 65-second video with no audio shows Brown submitting her complaints. Miller comes into the lobby about 30 seconds into the video and receives the complaints. However, he appears in a casual manner rather than angry.
Miller said he showed the tape to attorneys and psychologists to see if he was in the wrong.
“The facts speak for themselves,” Miller said.
He said throughout his 19 years as police chief, he has not experienced something like this.
There is no video of the incident with the two officers.
The borough and Miller sent Brown letters about the results of both investigations, which cleared all three officers of any wrongdoing.
The traffic stop involving Brown and the two police officers was about 10 minutes long, according to 911 records.
“The borough’s investigation has revealed the officers involved did not act improperly,” Miller stated in his letter.
Regarding the chief’s case, Oliverio states in the borough’s letter to Brown that the “chief’s demeanor and body language in the video is not consistent with that would be seen if he had been screaming at the top of his lungs as you claim.”
“In addition, your actions and demeanor in the video are not consistent with what would be expected if you were being screamed at and subjected to abusive conduct as you claim in your complaint.”
Oliverio also said he has not received a complaint about Miller until recently.
Brown said Monday that the video used in the investigation against Miller was not the one where Miller’s alleged actions took place.
Miller said Brown came to the police department before to inquire about submitting a complaint.
Brown said Thursday afternoon that the evidence is “a lie.”
“I know what the truth is,” she said. “I know he screamed his lungs out. Where is the audio?”
Borough council did not want to comment further on the investigations.
