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Pittsburgh police officer arrested, charged in domestic incident

PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh police officer is under arrest after a domestic incident Sunday afternoon.

Investigators said Zone 5 officers responded to a domestic call involving Officer Rachmiel Gallman, 31, around 2:20 p.m. Dec. 31 at a home in the East End of Pittsburgh.

Gallman was arrested and charged with false imprisonment.

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Channel 11 spoke with Gallman briefly on Tuesday.

“Outside of that can't make any public comment,” said Gallman regarding his charges.

According to the criminal complaint, a woman and her son were here at a home on Oakdene where they were "wrestling around and tickling each other.” The woman then started poking Gallman in the abs.

That's when police say Gallman told her "her to stop or he would put her in handcuffs.”

Investigators say she kept poking him and he eventually "wrestled her to the ground and pulled her legs out and put shackles around her ankles.” He then grabbed her right wrist and handcuffed her to the chain of the shackle, according to police.

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The criminal complaint said she asked him multiple to release her from the shackles and handcuff.

“You don’t use the tools of your job and that what sound like happened here,” said Pittsburgh Citizen Police Review Board executive director Elizabeth Pittinger

Pittinger told Channel 11 Gallman's charge of false imprisonment is a serious offense.

“That's real serious. It can lead in Pennsylvania to prison for two years which will revoke his certification of a police officer,” Pittinger said.

Channel 11 has learned Gallman was hired in February of 2015 as a Pittsburgh police officer.

In 2009, Gallman plead guilty to disorderly conduct and in December of that same year plead guilty to trespassing

"We have high standards and expectations pertaining to the conduct of all on-duty and off-duty Pittsburgh police officers. We take all complaints and allegations seriously. We will investigate and allow for due process," Pittsburgh police Chief Scott Schubert said.

Pittsburgh police said no further information will be released.