The Washington Observer Reporter (Washington, Pa.)
PHILADELPHIA -- A private company hired to monitor the Pennsylvania state police after a sexual misconduct scandal said in a report that the force still lacks strong disciplinary guidelines.
The report, released Friday by the international security firm Kroll Associates, said the police agency has made some progress in recent months, but still needs better rules requiring a speedy investigation when a trooper is accused of misconduct.
The firm said the state police should also judge misconduct cases quicker. Some disciplinary procedures now take so long that accused troopers can retire before any punishment is imposed.
The report was released on the day that a federal judge cleared the force’s former top commander of civil liability for the department’s failure to discipline a trooper accused of sexually assaulting several women.
Former State Police Commissioner Paul Evanko had been sued by three women who claimed that he and other top police officials knew the trooper had a history of unsavory conduct, but never punished him.
The judge refused to dismiss similar suits against eight other state police officials and the disgraced trooper, Michael K. Evans.
Evans pleaded guilty in 2000 to sex crimes against three teen girls and three women.