Police Chief Gets Lucrative Buyout, Despite Scathing Investigation

PITTSBURGH — The Brentwood Borough Council voted to give police chief Robert Butelli a lucrative settlement package, worth more than $200,000, in exchange for his retirement.

The deal reportedly will cost the Pittsburgh suburb more than $400,000 over the next three years. Butelli will receive $199,998 in three payments, starting in January.

Butelli, 62, was chief of the department for 13 years. He asserts his departure is a result of “personal and political vendettas” by Mayor Dennis Troy and Council President Marty Vickless.

“These politicians are not monarchs; they are public servants. And yet they were willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of public money to satisfy their personal interests in getting rid of me,” he said.

An independent investigation by Thomas Farrell, a former federal prosecutor, reported a litany of problems.

Farrell’s report says Butelli failed to follow police or borough procedures, including supervision of the evidence room or tracking cash or property owned by the borough. Additionally, the report asserts that he mismanaged the department, failed to conduct officer evaluations, filed a false accident report and lied to investigators.

There is also a dispute about Butelli’s personal use of his police vehicle. His contract says he couldn’t use it for “family use,” but he asserts that prior administrations approved it.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes, “The agreement ends many years of tension between Mr. Butelli and council members, including several costly lawsuits brought by officers who accused the chief of favoritism and bias.”

Brentwood Manager George Zboyovsky has said the settlement will be funded from money budgeted for the 2015 police chief’s salary.

The investigation cost an estimated $60,000. “If it’s going to get us a better police department, I think it’s worth it,” said Troy.

Read more at Watchdog.org.