Police sergeant alleges Kiski Township supervisor asked him to arrest resident suing the township

A Kiski Township police officer says a township supervisor asked him to arrest a resident who hadn’t committed a crime.

The allegation was included in a deposition given by Sgt. Thomas Dessell in connection with a lawsuit the resident filed against the township.

Dessell gave the deposition March 10 in connection with a lawsuit filed by resident Gene Kline, who alleges illegal dumping at the township’s Brownstown Road public works facility. Kline, who lives nearby, also accuses the township of violating the state’s Clean Streams Law and invading his private use and enjoyment of his land.

In the lawsuit filed in August, Kline claims the township was illegally allowing residents to dump items at the facility and then burning the items.

According to a transcript of his deposition obtained by the Tribune- Review, Dessell was dispatched to the public works site in summer 2021 for a “disturbance” when Kline was visiting the site.

Dessell, however, found Kline wasn’t doing anything illegal, according to the deposition.

When Dessell returned to the township office, the deposition states, he encountered Supervisor Michael Bash, who asked him to arrest Kline.

“I’m paraphrasing, ‘You need to find a reason to arrest him (Kline),’ and (Bash) and I got into an exchange as I can’t randomly arrest people for not breaking the law.”

Earlier this week, Dessell said he stands by his March testimony.

Contacted Tuesday, Bash declined to comment.

Township Solicitor Tim Miller said the litigation is ongoing and the township had no further comment.

Dessell said Bash asked him more than once to find a reason to arrest Kline, according to his deposition.

Earlier this year, Dessell was told by Bash to arrest Kline during a township supervisors meeting “if something should happen,” according to Dessell’s testimony.

Ultimately, Dessell in his deposition characterized Bash’s requests to arrest Kline as suggestions rather than instructions.

“They couldn’t be instructions because I would tell him, ‘No,’ ” Dessell said in the deposition. “If he (Kline) did not commit a crime, he’s not getting arrested.”

Kline said settlement negotiations are continuing in connection with his lawsuit.

Kline said he is not looking for money but for changes in township practices at its public works site and reimbursement for legal filings.

It may have worked already.

Kline’s complaints caused the state Department of Environmental Protection to step in and meet with township officials last summer.

The township stopped the practice of allowing residents to dump brush at the public works department and prohibited the burning of any product on township-owned property.