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Charleroi Police Probing Alleged Drug Activity Involving Officer's Girlfriend

CHARLEROI (KDKA) -- Charleroi Police Chief Mike Matyas confirms that his department is conducting two investigations after the girlfriend of a part-time officer was questioned about alleged drug activity in the officer's personal car.

The drug investigation involves the girlfriend, and the other internal investigation involves whether the officer violated any department rules.

No charges have yet been filed.

It all began Wednesday when the officer's car was spotted near the Dollar General store in Charleroi not far from the police station. He was not in the car at the time.

An officer spotted the girlfriend in the car.

"They called for another officer to come and see if that's definitely her in the vehicle being that she was known for possibly having drug activity. The officer pulled up and looked at her and there was another female in the vehicle with her. And they just made furtive movements, suspicious movements as if they were hiding something," said Matyas.

"So the officer got out of the vehicle, approached the vehicle and talked to the two females, checked the purse of the one female and she had syringe caps in her purse," Matyas added. "He asked the two females to get out of the vehicle. On the outside of the vehicle a syringe was found. Can't say it was theirs. Neither female had drugs on them. They had some other paraphernalia that's commonly known to be used for injecting heroin."

Police also found a personal revolver owned by the officer, a badge and a portable radio. The officer works part-time at other departments as well.

"We had no suspicions at all that the officer knew anything about what was going on with this," said Matyas.

The officer has been taken off the Charleroi Police schedule until the investigation is complete.

The women could face drug-related charges as early as Friday.

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