Probe to see if patrolman violated policy while on duty

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — Police Chief John Mandopoulos has ordered an internal investigation to determine whether Patrolman Frank Dascoulias violated departmental policy Sunday while on duty in the Lowe’s store on Niles-Cortland Road.

Mandopoulos said he received a complaint alleging that Dascoulias, who is also an official with the patrolmen’s union, was shopping at the home improvement store while he was on duty.

Mandopoulos said he encourages officers to spend time in Warren businesses while they are on patrol as a form of community policing and to make their presence felt.

“They love to see a uniformed cop in there,” Mandopoulos said of Warren businesses.

But if Dascoulias was buying items while on duty, he will be charged with a violation of departmental policy, Mandopoulos said.

As for whether it is permissible for officers to look at merchandise while on duty, that is a bit more of a gray area, Mandopoulos said.

“Do they look? Yes,” he said. But if an officer is spending too much time looking, like hours, that would be a problem, he added.

The store has security cameras inside, so it shouldn’t be hard to determine whether Dascoulias made a purchase or how much time he was there, Mandopoulos said.