Westmoreland County DA Files Lawsuits To Oust 2 Constables
GREENSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) - Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli filed lawsuits to oust two constables from their posts.
Depending on where you are in the state of Pennsylvania, constables can play a major role in the administration of justice.
"We have powers of the minor judiciary system from the magistrate level," said Kevin O'Donnell with the Westmoreland County Constable Association.
In fact, constable duties involve protecting polling places, serving warrants for the courts, providing courtroom security and transporting prisoners. They also have statutory powers of arrest.
But this week, Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli filed suit to remove constable Dan Goodson of the New Kensington area for allegedly having prior felony criminal convictions.
"There are background checks conducted by the county detectives in the county you are elected in," O'Donnell said.
Ziccarelli released a statement on the lawsuits saying in part, "As with previous matters handled by this office, these investigations were prompted by outside complaints and investigated by the county detectives. Elected officials must meet certain requirements to hold elected office and my office will pursue civil action against individuals who don't meet those requirements."
The other target of Zicarelli's lawsuit is constable Walt Geiger, elected to serve the Arona section of Westmoreland County.
"To run for an election in that area you have to be a resident in that area," O'Donnell said.
Ziccarelli maintains that Geiger no longer lives in Arona but rather in North Huntingdon.
O'Donnell said what the district attorney is doing is uncomfortable but necessary.
"If there's some not up to standards and they can't get there and they choose not to get there, then it's time to have them removed," he said.
KDKA we reached out to both men named in the lawsuits and both declined comment at this time.