OFFICERS JAILED IN DRUG CASE

Vandergrift police Chief Joe Caporali had the task of leading one of
his own shackled patrolmen, Eric Decroo, to a waiting police van
Friday. The van would carry the part-time officer to Greensburg,
Westmoreland County, for arraignment on criminal charges of
conspiring with fellow Vandergrift Patrolman Robert Wright, who is
accused of selling cocaine to undercover narcotics agents.

Decroo, 26, of Buffalo Township, Butler County, and Wright, 35, of
Brackenridge, Allegheny County, were arraigned yesterday before
District Judge James Albert, of Greensburg, on multiple charges of
selling small amounts of cocaine since last summer.

"It was no satisfaction whatsoever, and to be totally blunt about it
. as far as I'm concerned, once they stepped over that line selling
drugs, they were drug dealers ... not police officers," Caporali
said. "So it was no different than leading any other drug dealer to
an arraignment."

Caporali was tipped off in late summer that the Westmoreland County
Drug Task Force and the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office
were conducting separate investigations into the possibility that two
Vandergrift officers were selling drugs.

Both had been employed in the small Westmoreland County borough for
more than three years. They were suspended without pay yesterday
after charges were filed by state Attorney General Thomas Corbett's
office on the recommendation of a statewide grand jury seated in Pittsburgh.

Decroo also was employed part time by the Freeport Borough Police
Department in Armstrong County for more than two years. Freeport
Mayor Robert Ravotti said Decroo is "immediately suspended" and that
council will take action at its next meeting.

"These men violated the laws that they swore to uphold -- turning
their backs on their communities and their colleagues in law
enforcement," Corbett said. "Worst of all, they broke a public trust
and chose to serve their own self-interest rather than serving the
citizens for whom they took an oath to protect."

Caporali admitted yesterday that it was tough, once he learned of the
investigation, to continue for several months placing both officers
on the weekly patrol schedule -- usually evening and overnight shifts
- -- to permit the investigations to continue. He said the two officers
often were on patrol together in Vandergrift, a town of about 4,300 residents.

"It's something I struggled with over the course of time. It was an
unfortunate and sad situation," Caporali said. "But for the sake of
the investigation, putting them on the schedule had to be done."

Corbett maintained that investigators had to build their case.
Authorities were interested in learning where the two officers were
getting their cocaine supplies; whether any other officers were
involved; and whether an informant's claims that the officers were
selling drugs while they were on patrol were true.

Corbett said investigators also believe that the pair were the only
ones in the department of eight full-time officers and seven
part-timers who were involved.

Wright is charged with one count of criminal conspiracy, two counts
each of possession of cocaine, delivery of cocaine, possession with
intent to deliver cocaine, and criminal use of a communications
facility. He was lodged in the county prison on $55,000 bond.

Decroo is charged with one count each of criminal conspiracy and
criminal use of a communications facility. He was jailed on $15,000 bond.