Two Pittsburgh police officers are off the streets and facing criminal charges after what investigators say are second-time DUI arrests, a pair of cases that have once again put the city’s discipline system for problem officers under the microscope.
Names and immediate facts
Both Sgt. Tariq Francis and Officer Robert Palivoda were placed on administrative leave after prosecutors filed charges in separate incidents, as reported by WPXI. Francis was arrested in November when Plum Borough police found him slumped over behind the wheel, while Palivoda’s case stems from a January incident in Brookline in which a witness reported seeing him hit a parked car. According to WPXI, both officers had previously completed Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition programs after earlier DUI allegations.
Court filings and BAC readings
Local reporting indicates Francis provided a blood sample that registered a .305 blood-alcohol concentration when Plum police arrested him, about four times Pennsylvania’s legal limit, according to WTAE. That coverage notes Francis had an earlier DUI-related crash in 2021, and his most recent case moved into the court system late last year.
City response and the contract question
Elizabeth Pittinger, director of the Citizen Police Review Board, told WPXI the officers “should not get a third chance,” calling repeat DUIs a threat to public safety. WPXI also reported that a city public-safety spokesperson confirmed both men are on administrative leave while their court cases are pending, and noted that a union contract approved in recent years contains provisions that could allow automatic termination for a second DUI conviction or for an upheld breath-test refusal. Chief Jason Lando told the station he wants to expand wellness and substance-abuse supports for officers even as the investigations move forward.
Accountability questions linger
Local watchdog reporting has documented a pattern of repeat violations and limited discipline inside the bureau, with arbitration and contract language sometimes standing between sustained findings and lasting removals, according to an analysis by PublicSource. That work, along with the Review Board’s reaction, helps explain why residents and advocates are pressing for clearer and faster outcomes when officers are accused of misconduct.
How ARD and police procedure factor in
Both officers’ earlier DUI matters were resolved through Pennsylvania’s Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, a pretrial diversion option commonly used for first-time DUI defendants that can result in dismissal after program completion, according to Pennsylvania Courts. The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police procedural order on DUI arrests lays out how officers document traffic stops, tests, and blood requests, a process that shapes both criminal cases and internal reviews. For department procedure, see the bureau’s general order on DUI arrests and processing.
What’s next
The officers’ criminal cases remain pending, and the bureau says administrative leave will continue while prosecutors and courts move ahead. City officials say they will follow the legal process and the department’s internal review steps, while watchdogs and the Review Board continue to watch whether contract rules and arbitration will influence the outcome.
