Ellwood City Borough Council on Monday evening handed down the disciplinary action for a police officer involved in an altercation at the Sheetz in Ellwood City that was captured on video and posted all over social media and the Internet.
Council voted unanimously to demote Sergeant Robert Magnifico to patrolman, ordered him to take classes in de-escalation and anger management (approved by Mayor Anthony Court), and suspended him for ten days without pay.
Magnifico has been on administrative leave with pay since June 13 and through today, according to Borough Solicitor, Ryan Long.
Prior to the vote on the disciplinary action, one member of the public spoke on behalf of Magnifico.
Aaron Rachuba said Magnifico was his football coach.
“That kid showed him no respect,” Rachuba said. “He was a good coach. I really looked up to him. He’s a good officer and a good person.”
Rachuba was met with applause from a few members of the public who were in attendance. He was the only one who spoke.
Court, who is also the head of the police department said Monday evening following the Borough Council Meeting, “Since this is a personnel matter, it limits some information that can be provided to the general public; however I can relay what transpired after numerous meetings. The governing body of the Ellwood City Borough suspended Officer Magnifico for ten working days without pay, demoting him from Sergeant to Patrolman, and sending him to two sets of de-escalation and anger management classes. Now, as mayor, I am hoping that our community can move forward and get back to doing all the things that make our community so special.”
Proof that cops can attack people and get away with it, but Lord forbid we even have an attitude towards them then we are criminals. Guess they will wait till he kills someone to actually punish him
10 day suspension for this criminal with his badge? Now he can come back and do it all over again? This disgusting officer threatening someone previously with bodily harm, now this and he still didn’t get fired? We the people are absolutely disgusted Magnifico didn’t get terminated and we demand he be terminated immediately as he proved at least twice now he is a danger to the community!
This is the same officer who bragged about how he takes his sweet time when dispatched to DV cases because he wants both parties to ‘beat the sh!t out of each other so he can arrest them both when he gets there’.
What kind of corrupt PD keeps a piece of garbage like this around, and sends him out with authority over the community? An incompetent PD, run by corrupt officials and an incompetent, corrupt city council who doesn’t give a damn about the city of Ellwood.
Officer “Magnifico” should be fired and ineligible for hire at any police dept!!! What a disgrace to the badge!
This is not an acceptable outcome for this officers actions. By all rights he should be facing a criminal battery charge against a minor. Not only that, he should be fired and POST certification revoked. His actions are utterly disgraceful and sickening.
He should be fired! Why is his behavior being excused? Pathetic!
Elwood City mayor and council you need to fire Officer Magnifico! Demotion and 10 days off is not enough. Excessive force no crime no arrest regardless how smart mouth a kid can get. 2017 same attitude, 20 years same attitude time to hold your Tyrants accountable!
All this will do is make him resentful & more aggressive towards those he feels are inferior to him. He needs his card pulled so he can’t be an officer anywhere else. The town needs to be sued before they will accept he is a liability.
Those two young man should fill a lawsuit against the officer and that city.
Why is he still an officer? If any of us did that we would be arrested. I hope that kid sues the city for allowing that so called officer to attack that minor. All over a phone that was his anyways. I seen many other instances where he attacked people . I’m sure the internet will show more and more with time . I wouldn’t call that police department for help just in case he would be sent .I don’t want my kids seeing an officer like that you guys already have a bad image he’s only making it worse.
Robert Magnifico needs to be fired!!!! He is obviously much too incompetent to deal with the public, especially children!!! He should also face physical assault charge on a minor and never be allowed to be an officer ever again! He needs to serve jail time…period!!! Unbelievable!!!
Any civilian would be arrested! This police officer should be in jail, shame on the city for not addressing the criminal actions of this tyrant.
That cop is simply a bully from high school who grew up and was given a badge! It is not against the law to swear in public!
Robert Magnifico should be put behind bars for a long time. He has zero respect for the constitution nor the rights of US citizens. He is on video threatening, assaulting, and illegally arresting innocent people because of his fragile ego. Any other citizen who is not a cop would be put in prison for Magnificos actions
Criminal behavior in that police department apparently gets you a 2-week vacation and more time off for “training.” Any regular citizen would get three years in prison for that behavior.
Officer Magnifico should be in jail!! Hes a total tyrant!! But no just a 10 day suspension, what a joke, and he has done this before. Hope the kid gets a big payday!! I would also have the Feds look in this officer!!
Unfortunately only a VERY LARGE lawsuit, which the tax payers ultimately pay for, will have any hope of rectifying this bully’s behavior. Shameful he has been allowed to be police and a high school football coach. Think of how many other people he has bullied while holding a badge and a gun. Shameful.
I’m an American living in Australia. I fly around the country almost everyday. Two Australians, in different parts of the country, told me about this police officer. You can’t defend this especially when I’m living in a where the police are taught to avoid force at all cost.
URGET! I believe anyone with the temper and possible mental impairment Officer Rob Magnifico displays, should NOT be a football coach with children! that potentially could rile him up again and go off. The town can’t afford this kind of risk.
Not the first time this guy has done acted out. Perhaps a little more digging should have been done after the incident sited below.
https://www.timesonline.com/story/news/crime/2017/07/28/mayor-examining-allegations-against-two/18477916007/
Disgusting! An embarrassment to the badge and the oath that he honored to uphold.
He is a liability to the Town, County and State who’s jurisdiction he works under. My 84 y/o father and retired law enforcement called him a disgrace to the badge.