Fired Cops In Beating Case Reinstated

Fox 29 has learned all police officers who lost their jobs or were disciplined in the May 2008 beating caught on camera by SkyFox will get their jobs back or have any other discipline expunged.

More: Aug. 2008 Grand Jury Report | Watch Original Video | See Slideshow | Read Original Stories

An arbitrator in the case has ruled that two officers who were fired will get their jobs back with full pay, while four other who were disciplined will get back pay and rank restored.

Two rookie police academy graduates had no standing with the arbitrator because they were in their probationary period when they were fired. But Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says that, given the other decisions, they are likely to be reinstated if they apply.

Ramsey fired and disciplined the officers in May 2008. He said Friday he does not agree with the decision but respects the arbitrator's ruling.

The arbitration took place between the city of Philadelphia and the Fraternal Order of Police.

The case made international headlines when MyFoxPhilly published the raw video of the beating incident, which happened when police were also hunting for a cop killer.

Vincent Strain and Patrick Gallagher were restored to active duty but reprimanded. Sean Bascom, Demetrius Pittaoulis, and Jonathan Czapor will get any disciplinary action reduced to a reprimand. Sgt. Joseph Schiavone was found to be completely exculpated of any wrongdoing.

The arbitrator said the Philadelphia police department had just cause to discipline five of the officers. But basis for the just cause finding didn’t warrant the punishment they received.

All six officers will get back pay, overtime, benefits and pensions restored to the date when disciplinary action was taken.

Police commissioner Charles Ramsey will be at a press conference later Friday afternoon to discuss the finding.

In August 2009, a grand jury didn’t charge any officers involved with the case with criminal charges.

The August 2009 grand jury said the three suspects, because they eluded police, fell under the guidelines that justified the actions of the 20 officers who beat the three men on camera in a 14-minute video shot by Fox 29.