McCandless responds to sexual harassment suit filed by female police officer

McCandless officials are defending the town’s actions after the police department’s lone female officer filed a lawsuit against the municipality, its former police chief and a lieutenant, alleging discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation.

In a statement posted on the town’s website, town officials said they first became aware of the allegations by officer Melissa Delval in October 2018 and that council “took prompt” action to address her complaints.

“As soon as the town was made aware of Ms. Delval’s complaints of harassment in 2018, town council took prompt action by immediately placing the accused employees on administrative leave,” the statement said. “Town council also conducted a thorough external investigation due to the serious nature of the allegations.”

Once the probe was completed, council “took immediate corrective disciplinary action against the individuals involved,” according to the statement.

The lawsuit filed by Delval in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court on Oct. 30 names as defendants the town, former chief David DiSanti and Lt. Jeffrey Basl, who is still on the force.

Delval was hired by the department in August 2017. She filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in March 2019.

According to the lawsuit, Delval was subjected to “constant, persistent and systemic sexual harassment and discrimination,” as well as a hostile work environment.

The lawsuit alleges that while Delval was on duty and in uniform on Sept. 4, 2017, her training officer took her to a Labor Day gathering at DiSanti’s home.

As Delval was leaving, DiSanti allegedly forced her into his arms and tried to kiss her on the lips.

The complaint also accuses Basl of making “constant, daily, crude, lewd and inappropriate sexual comments” to Delval. It said that once, when she drove through a parking lot where Basl was, he turned to face her, “grabbing his genitals over his pants, sticking out his tongue and shaking his genitals and head at her.”

DiSanti resigned last November after previously being placed on unpaid administrative leave while officials investigated allegations by Delval and two other women with ties to the department.

Basl was suspended for 10 days without pay in January 2019 as a result of Delval’s complaint.

The lawsuit accused the town of McCandless of allowing and perpetuating the misconduct by failing to properly investigate it, and said it “has therefore directly cultivated and permitted this fraternity atmosphere to permeate all aspects of its police department.”

Delval also accused the policed department of retaliating against her for filing the Human Relations Commission complaint by refusing to interview her for an open detective position.

Additionally, the lawsuit maintains that when Delval became pregnant and asked the department for accommodations after she was involved in a physical altercation with a suspect, the town manager told her the department did not have any light-duty positions.

The complaint alleges that McCandless officials have said they will not “even consider implementing” a maternity policy.

Town officials declined to comment on the case beyond the information contained in the statement.

Jordan P. Shuber, an attorney with Dillon, McCandless, King, Coulter and Graham, said attorneys for the town are seeking to have the case transferred to federal court.