West Mifflin police Chief Joseph Popovich is retiring.

WM chief is retiring
By ERIC SLAGLE, Daily News Staff Writer
09/16/2009
West Mifflin police Chief Joseph Popovich is retiring.
Popovich, 62, says he will retire Oct. 13 after serving four years as head of the department.
"I've been able to bring the department back to respectability in the community," the chief said after council approved his retirement at Tuesday's meeting. "I've succeeded in what I wanted to do. I'll let a young person take over."
Council President William Welsh Jr. said Popovich has done a good job as chief.
"He took over a department that was in turmoil and turned it into a department that is running smooth," Welsh said.
Popovich was hired after his predecessor, Frank Diener, stepped down as police chief in 2005 following allegations of improper conduct. Diener later pleaded guilty before a U.S. District Judge to drug, theft and gun charges for stealing from the department's evidence room, diverting department moneys for personal use, instructing subordinate officers to fix cases, and other corrupt acts.
More recently, a detective who was described as Diener's right hand man, Noel Missig, was convicted of a series of misdemeanors in two cases of alleged official oppression, but acquitted of a felony perjury count and other misdemeanors in a third case.
All the charges stemmed from incidents that occurred while Diener was chief.
Popovich noted that when he took over there was a lot of animosity between officers and a perception in the community that the whole department was corrupt. Morale among officers has improved since then and the public has regained respect for the department, the chief said.
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©The Daily News 2009

Hey Diane, you need to stop worrying about what is going on here on the outside. You better start getting ready for your time in the ol' hoosegow. You are done. DONE. HAHAHAHAHA Didn't see your criminal ass at the school board meeting, your THEIF! Getting more time in on the cherry machines before you go in?

At least Joe cleaned up the unethical mess. He had the odds stacked against him and he pulled it off. He probably did not want to work with a brain damaged mayor.

Benedict Stanestic wrote:

Hey Diane, you need to stop worrying about what is going on here on the outside. You better start getting ready for your time in the ol' hoosegow. You are done. DONE. HAHAHAHAHA Didn't see your criminal ass at the school board meeting, your THEIF! Getting more time in on the cherry machines before you go in?

Is there already a political pipeline trying to be connected to determine the outcome? Even if someone looses in a political race, there are "perks". A thief is a thief.

Insideout wrote:

<quoted text>
Is there already a political pipeline trying to be connected to determine the outcome? Even if someone looses in a political race, there are "perks". A thief is a thief.

Dick Olasz already cut ties with her. No favors will come her way. She alienated everyone. She will go up river and never come back. See ya you crooked theif!

30 Years to Life wrote:

<quoted text>Dick Olasz already cut ties with her. No favors will come her way. She alienated everyone. She will go up river and never come back. See ya you crooked theif!

Olasz should have spent time in jail for his family car scam. Funny how you people ignore facts that hurt your idols

facts wrote:

<quoted text>
Olasz should have spent time in jail for his family car scam. Funny how you people ignore facts that hurt your idols

Olasz just won reelection. He is a retired State Rep. More people like him thand will ever like Shar. Wait until he sees the lack of votes he will get in his sham write in campaign. And the Donis will get appointed for the 2 year. All will be right with the world.

facts wrote:

<quoted text>
Olasz should have spent time in jail for his family car scam. Funny how you people ignore facts that hurt your idols

that is a fact, people forget all that several have done, how about the chief "having to correct testimony " in the Missig case, how about his chief son-in law. We all forget but oh wait you all must bbe perfect I would just love to see you go to anyone the thieves house knock on their door and call it to them to their face, yeah I thought so

Olasz Bulldozer wrote:

<quoted text>Olasz just won reelection. He is a retired State Rep. More people like him thand will ever like Shar. Wait until he sees the lack of votes he will get in his sham write in campaign. And the Donis will get appointed for the 2 year. All will be right with the world.

Dont count Shar out yet.He might surprise all of you.HEE!

I've been hearing Shar will not run nor will he accept a position.So who else is out there?

Olasz Bulldozer wrote:

<quoted text>Olasz just won reelection. He is a retired State Rep. More people like him thand will ever like Shar. Wait until he sees the lack of votes he will get in his sham write in campaign. And the Donis will get appointed for the 2 year. All will be right with the world.

Doesn't get rid of the fact that he left the state house in disgrace. Why don't you address this issue?

Anybody see my baloney?

facts wrote:

<quoted text>
Doesn't get rid of the fact that he left the state house in disgrace. Why don't you address this issue?

Leave me out of this.

vote 4 shar wrote:

<quoted text>Dont count Shar out yet.He might surprise all of you.HEE!

My husband is a loser.

Insideout wrote:

I've been hearing Shar will not run nor will he accept a position.So who else is out there?

There is another Olaz that will come to the forefront soon. Forget Shar, he doesn't want it. It has been heard the first thing up on his agenda is to rename West Mifflin to Olazburgh. All residents will be required to have Olaz bumper stickers on the front AND back of your car. We will also have to salute and refer to Dick as Mien Fuher.

The reporter from the DN must be a Poopovich relative. The soon to be former Chief was a thief while at the mill and he continued his butt kissing legacy the whole time while employed by West Mifflin. It only took him 5 years to make Captian, thats because he was doing all kind of side work for Tricky Dick. Not only did he have a tree fall on him in the Old Mans yard but he also ran a license plate that jeopardized an investigation in Baldwin. Then when he and The Old Man had there falling out he ran to the Arab. He gave the Arab confidential police information, but denied it came from his computer. He was able to get his son in law hired as a school by sucking up to Shoes. Then he gets his daughter a position in the school district. The best move was having his son in law hired on the pd and covering up the fact that he shop lifted while in uniform. He now is having his youngest daughter marry an aid to another politician. This man has no limits on what he would do to get what he wants. Willy Belsh will be getting free construction work for years to come. The only truth that the reporter from the DN wrote is that morale is up in the pd. It sure went up a ton when everyone found out Poopovich is retiring. So long you lying, thiefing, perjuring and do nothing for this boro piece of s$#@.

I advise all of you to buy stock in Tangueray gin. Stocks will soar in the coming months!!!

After reading the article in the Daily News i couldn't decide whether to hurl on the spot or rip up the paper. Did this writer interview any of the officers ? Joe improved morale ? Where ? Cuzzins ? Cleaned up corruption ? I'll comment more later after i get done with this latest fit of laughter.

I think that it is a good thing Poopovich was not sworn in when he made his statements to the Daily News because he would have committed perjury. Oops too late he already did that and got away with it. What a lying piece of &$&@$. This man did nothing but create diversity and animosity. The real truth is he cost the boro a lot of money that will only be relized when he is gone. It is ironic how Billy Boy and clueless Falce were in bed with the old chief and then when things needed fixed around the house they found a new clown to cling to. Good ridence.

I made a mistake wrote:

I think that it is a good thing Poopovich was not sworn in when he made his statements to the Daily News because he would have committed perjury. Oops too late he already did that and got away with it. What a lying piece of &$&@$. This man did nothing but create diversity and animosity. The real truth is he cost the boro a lot of money that will only be relized when he is gone. It is ironic how Billy Boy and clueless Falce were in bed with the old chief and then when things needed fixed around the house they found a new clown to cling to. Good ridence.

It will be quite interesting to see who becomes the next chief although the writing is already on the wall. If common sense prevails then they will put a person in there who is a productive police officer who knows the law and knows how to treat his/her people instead of putting in another politician. Put somebody in there who will treat his/her staff with respect and doesn't play the officers against each other. I know, that makes too much sense. There are a couple who are capable of being a very competent chief and their are a couple who will just carry on Joe's legacy of turmoil and chaos amongst the ranks. Its a shame things are the way they are because there are many good officers in the department. They deserve soo much better than what they have been getting the last several years