Police Retiree Questions City on Pensions

Officer wonders why accused man was allowed to retire; city says it was bound by police contract

By Jason Togyer
The Tube City Almanac
February 05, 2025
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

A retired McKeesport police sergeant quizzed city officials Wednesday night on why a police officer charged in connection with a $1.3 million fraud was allowed to retire with his pension.

“I am retired from the police department after 21 years,” Dan Rich of Christy Park said at this month’s council meeting. “When I worked here on this department, you carried yourself to a standard that if you came into work, if your (work) wasn’t in order you got disciplined.”

Former McKeesport police Detective Joe Osinski retired days before he was charged with diverting more than a million dollars from Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 91 to support his own business.

Another retired McKeesport police officer is reportedly being questioned by the Allegheny County district attorney’s office in connection with money allegedly missing from the police evidence room.

“No disrespect, but I don’t understand how certain individuals can do things, and they are rewarded,” Rich said during the citizen comment portion of the meeting. “They were given their pensions. When I was here, you literally could be terminated based on anything. I thought that if you commited a crime you were terminated.”

McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko agreed that the cases had given “a black eye” to the city’s reputation, but said there was no legal way for the municipality to withhold their pensions.

“You think I’m happy about this? How do you think I feel?” Cherepko said. “There are laws and rules to play by, and we have to play by the rules. But this is a black eye to everyone who served (in the police department), and if you sit in my seat, you would have to be disgusted by it.”

The state Attorney General’s Office has accused Osinski of misusing FOP funds — including donations intended for the family of slain McKeesport police Officer Sean Sluganski — to support his business.

Osinski, 56, of Haler Heights is charged by the state Attorney General’s office with theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, receiving stolen property, dealing the proceeds of illegal activity, access device fraud and misapplication of entrusted property.

He is currently free on $50,000 bond pending a trial scheduled to begin March 13 before Allegheny County Judge Jill E. Rangos.

The former officer involved in the other case has not been publicly identified, and neither the city nor District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. have commented on how much money allegedly is missing. That officer has not been charged.

City Solicitor J. Jason Elash said in both cases, the officers retired before any charges were filed, and under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement with the police union, the city was obligated to allow them to leave.

“Because these are personnel matters, it is difficult for us to comment,” Elash said. “But hypothetically, if they had not retired, they certainly would not be policing right now.”

Cherepko cautioned that both Osinski and the other officer are “innocent until proven guilty.”

“When they have their day in court, those types of things will be addressed,” Cherepko said. “Allegations are allegations, and you treat every case the same way. Believe me, I’d like to do a lot more than take their pensions. This is the system in which we work, and they will have their day in court.”

If the officers are convicted in court, he said, “we will see what we can do about their pensions.”

Council Vice President LuEthel Nesbit, who chaired Wednesday’s meeting, told Rich that she and other councilors took his remarks to heart.

“We understand what you are saying and we can relate to it,” she said. “No one is not hearing you — trust me, we greatly respect your opinion.”

Rich said the allegations against Osinski and the other, unnamed officer hurt him both as a retired police officer and as a resident.

“It's a question that I was curious about and a lot of other people are curious about,” he said. “I used to hold any head so high about being retired from this police department. I love this city. I feel safe here. I don’t care what the news media says. This is a tight-knit community and you don’t get that in Peters Twp. or South Park.”

Originally published February 05, 2025.

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