Councilmember Anthony Coghill, chair of public safety for Pittsburgh, expressed frustration over the firing of two EMS administrators due to fraudulent time cards, as the city faces financial difficulties.”It’s really just disheartening, you know, everybody that works for the city of Pittsburgh knows the financial situation that we’re in and that we’re going to be in over the next four or five years,” Coghill said. “So, to find out that somebody is taking advantage of taxpayer dollars and actually not even working for the money earned is, you know, upsetting, and it will be addressed. And I believe it is being addressed by our public safety director in a proper manner.”Coghill noted that while he was informed about the firing of an EMS district chief and a division chief due to fraudulent payroll activities, he has not yet been briefed on the specifics. Sources indicate that the district chief submitted time cards with approximately $6,000 in unearned overtime, and the division chief approved the payment without verification. Coghill emphasized that such allegations of payroll theft are detrimental to a city already under financial strain.”It just exacerbates a problem that we already know is there. I mean, to date, we’re estimating some 20 to $30 million of overtime expenses. Premium cost,” he said.Coghill expressed hope that the allegations are limited to the two individuals already dismissed and the money identified, but he stressed the importance of a thorough investigation.”I think for the most part, we have good, honest employees who honor, you know, their job and the public and their taxpayer dollars. So, obviously, you know, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. So, you know, I think maybe we need to take a deeper dive and look into time cards in general across the board,” Coghill said.It remains unclear whether the city administration will pursue a broader investigation into time card practices. Pittsburgh Public Safety has since issued the following statement, saying: “I can confirm that a District Chief and a Division Chief in the Bureau of EMS are no longer employed by the city of Pittsburgh. Both individuals are able to make an appeal seeking reinstatement to the Civil Service Commission.”
PITTSBURGH —
Councilmember Anthony Coghill, chair of public safety for Pittsburgh, expressed frustration over the firing of two EMS administrators due to fraudulent time cards, as the city faces financial difficulties.
“It’s really just disheartening, you know, everybody that works for the city of Pittsburgh knows the financial situation that we’re in and that we’re going to be in over the next four or five years,” Coghill said. “So, to find out that somebody is taking advantage of taxpayer dollars and actually not even working for the money earned is, you know, upsetting, and it will be addressed. And I believe it is being addressed by our public safety director in a proper manner.”
Coghill noted that while he was informed about the firing of an EMS district chief and a division chief due to fraudulent payroll activities, he has not yet been briefed on the specifics.
Sources indicate that the district chief submitted time cards with approximately $6,000 in unearned overtime, and the division chief approved the payment without verification.
Coghill emphasized that such allegations of payroll theft are detrimental to a city already under financial strain.
“It just exacerbates a problem that we already know is there. I mean, to date, we’re estimating some 20 to $30 million of overtime expenses. Premium cost,” he said.
Coghill expressed hope that the allegations are limited to the two individuals already dismissed and the money identified, but he stressed the importance of a thorough investigation.
“I think for the most part, we have good, honest employees who honor, you know, their job and the public and their taxpayer dollars. So, obviously, you know, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. So, you know, I think maybe we need to take a deeper dive and look into time cards in general across the board,” Coghill said.
It remains unclear whether the city administration will pursue a broader investigation into time card practices.
Pittsburgh Public Safety has since issued the following statement, saying:
“I can confirm that a District Chief and a Division Chief in the Bureau of EMS are no longer employed by the city of Pittsburgh. Both individuals are able to make an appeal seeking reinstatement to the Civil Service Commission.”