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Acting police chief defends Ravenstahl's bodyguards costs

PITTSBURGH — New acting Pittsburgh Police Chief Regina McDonald said Tuesday that there will be no changes in the bodyguard lineup for Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.

McDonald defended overtime as “a must to protect the mayor,” including time he spends in nightclubs.

“In 2012, the mayor’s bodyguard detail cost $130,000, and a large part of that was for Dom Sciulli because that’s a full-time job for him,” McDonald said. “Roughly $70,000 was his salary and he earned an additional $35,000 in overtime.”

According to McDonald, Sciulli made an additional $25,000 in holiday and outside security pay in 2012.

She also said his backup body guard, Matt Gauntner, works part time and earned about $38,500 in 2012.

“The full-time officer was $130,000 and the part-time officer accumulated $38,500,” McDonald said.

McDonald told Channel 11’s Alan Jennings that she doesn’t think overtime pay for the bodyguards is out of line.

“These are difficult times. Our primary duty is to ensure the security and safety of our leader,” McDonald said.

McDonald said there are no plans to use more officers as bodyguards to make sure no one works more than 40-hour weeks.