DA demands answers in Pittsburgh school officer investigation

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police confirmed to Channel 11's Renee Kaminski that they're investigating a Pittsburgh School Police officer over allegations of inappropriate contact with at least two students.

The first alleged contact took place in the late 1990s between a then-12-year-old boy and the officer.

Pittsburgh police were contacted by the alleged victim, who's now 24 years old, in July. The victim alleges he was taken out of class and touched inappropriately by the officer inside a storage room.

No charges have been filed, but the officer at the center of the investigation has been suspended with pay. Channel 11 News has learned that the officer's name is Robert Lellock.

Investigators said another victim has since come forward with a very similar story. The man, who is now in his 20s, said Lellock sexually abused him in 1999.

Pittsburgh Public Schools spokeswoman Ebony Pugh confirmed the police investigation, but wouldn’t make further comments.

“This Pittsburgh School Police officer has been suspended with pay as a result of allegations of misconduct. The suspension went into effect on July 25,” Pugh said.

Kaminski found out this isn’t the first time Lellock has been suspended over his alleged behavior with students. He was given a 20-day suspension in 1999 and told if he breached protocol again he would be fired.

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala said he wants to know how school district officials handled the allegations, who knew about it, when they knew about it and what they did about it.

"This guy is not a cook in a cafeteria. He's a police officer, and kids look up to police officers. He was already cloaked in credibility like a football coach at Penn State. You're protected by the institution you serve. He should have been taken out of service," Zappala said. "Who knew what when and what did they do as a result? Those are very significant issues and as I said, you're talking about an extended period of time."

According to Zappala, although Lellock hasn’t been charged, he plans on fully investigating his actions as well as the Pittsburgh School District.

"I am satisfied he cannot use his position or otherwise hurt anybody else in the Pittsburgh School District," Zappala said. "What the law requires is that you have some kind of administrative scheme that you report to as a teacher, as an administrator and as a school if you think there is criminal conduct. So what scheme was in place? What safeguards were in place?"

Zappala said he believes Lellock should have been removed from service in 1999.

Linda Lane, Pittsburgh Public Schools' current superintendent, said she was not working in the district in 1999 and doesn't know why the decision was made to suspend Lellock.

WPXI