MCCANDLESS, Pa. — A lawsuit filed by a female officer against the town of McCandless Police Department has reached U.S. District Court.
It was first filed in Allegheny County in October 2020 but the allegations were first made years earlier. It accuses members of the police department of sexual harassment and discrimination.
Former Chief David DiSanti and Lt. Jeffrey Basl are the individuals named in the suit. The town is also listed as a defendant. At last check, Basl still works at the department.
In the lawsuit, the officer complained of “constant, persistent, relentless and systemic sexual harassment and discrimination and subsequent retaliation for reporting these abuses” beginning in August 2017.
It accuses Basl of making “constant, daily, crude, lewd and inappropriate sexual comments” and says he made sexual motions directed at the officer. DiSanti is also accused of forcibly grabbing and kissing the officer while she was in full uniform and on-duty.
Both Basl and DiSanti served 10 day suspensions in 2018.
According to the lawsuit, the officer filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in March 2019 and was passed over for a possible promotion soon after.
Channel 11 reached out to the town of McCandless Friday evening and received this statement that reads in part:
“As soon as the town was made aware of [the officer’s] complaints of harassment in 2018, town council took prompt action by immediately placing the accused employees on administrative leave. Town council also conducted a thorough external investigation [and] took immediate corrective disciplinary action against the individuals involved.”
Channel 11 also reached out to the police department and law firm representing the plaintiff. We have not heard back from either.
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