Charges Waived On in Suspended Morrisville Police Officer Case
Digital Reporter- Jeff Bohen
Morrisville Officer Michael Pitcher was arrested Thursday.
A suspended Morrisville Police Officer had his charges waived on to the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday in district court during a preliminary hearing.
Michael Pitcher 40, of Pipersville, charged with unlawful use of police computers, official oppression, terroristic threats, and harassment is now scheduled to appear for official arraignment in Doylestown on September 20 at 12 p.m.
Pitcher is alleged to have harassed a Lower Makefield Township couple in April of this year in response to an interaction on a roadway in Lower Makefield.
According to the affidavit of probable cause Pitcher, threatened and harrassed the couple after using Morrisville Police computers to look up the couples phone number on a law enforcement used website. Pitcher, court records say, made intimidating calls to the couples landline phone number in which he is alleged to say, “You better have cameras at your house as I will be destroying your property, especially your Porsche.”
Investigators from the Lower Makefield Township Police and The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office subsequently allege Pitcher used a phone call “spoofing” application to make the threatening calls.
Pitcher is currently out on bail and was officially suspended, with pay from the police department in a unanimous vote by council on July 15.
Prior to that July council meeting Police Chief George McClay said Pitcher’s continued employment is undergoing a process separate and apart from the criminal proceedings and would be taking place involving borough officials.
McClay explained, there is a three-step process which will also include a “written report” to be completed by the Mayor based upon an interview Pitcher was expected to take part in.
During that July council meeting, McClay asked for an additional police officer to be hired because the arrest of Pitcher created a staffing issue now that was going to be placed on suspension. Council approved the hiring of a part time police officer at that session.
No information is available at press time as to where in administrative non-criminal process stands for Pitcher.
Members of council have said they’ve been directed not to comment publicly on anything related to the officers case until it is officially adjudicated at least by the borough’s labor attorneys.
On Tuesday evening, in a brief call Chief McClay said he was “very disappointed” with Pitcher saying “this is not the way we conduct ourselves at the Morrisville Police Department during the course of business”