Mayor Peduto Says He Supports Police Chief's Decision To Fire Sgt. Accused In Scuffle
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto says he stands 100 percent behind Police Chief Cameron McLay in the case of the police sergeant charged with assaulting a fan at Heinz Field last fall while making an arrest.
Chief McLay has suspended 47-year-old Sgt. Stephen Matakovich, pending termination later this week.
Matakovitch was seen on surveillance video scuffling with a teenager outside the stadium last November.
Matakovich was charged with using excessive force, but the charges were dismissed last week by a judge.
However, the Allegheny County District Attorney is refiling the charges, and Chief McLay says he supports the decision.
Mayor Peduto told KDKA-TV's Ralph Iannotti, "At this point, not only the police chief, but the D.A., the FBI and our own police experts in the use of force all agree something went wrong."
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The attorney for the Fraternal Order of Police says Matakovich will appeal his firing next week at a hearing with the new director of Pittsburgh Public Safety.
If the firing is upheld, the union will seek arbitration to try to get Matakovich's job back.
