Police lieutenant back on duty after investigation into alleged connection to Oath Keepers
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A Pittsburgh police lieutenant remains on the job nearly a year after a report uncovered that he allegedly used his city email to sign up as a member of the Oath Keepers, a right-wing extremist group.
On Thursday, Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt confirmed that the Office of Municipal Investigations interviewed Lieutenant Philip Mercurio about his reported involvement with the Oath Keepers. Members of the group were a part of the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and several are facing charges.
Mercurio was a firearms instructor and was moved to administrative duty last November.
On Thursday, Schmidt said Mercurio is back at work with the police department, but he refused to give any more information.
"Due to the language in the FOP contract, we cannot speak to discipline or the charges and final findings of the OMI investigation or the discipline," Schmidt said.
In his membership sign-up, Mercurio allegedly wrote that he would use his position as a firearms instructor to spread the word of the Oath Keepers.
Schmidt said investigators found no evidence he'd done so and no other police officers involved with the group.