PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh police officer who arrested a 31-year-old man Monday has been reassigned to an administrative role while the city conducts an internal review of the officer’s use of force, according to public safety officials.
At the same time, the Independent Citizen Police Review Board told Channel 11 it is in the early stages of its own investigation and is seeking police body camera video of the incident.
“I do not know what happened, and that’s what we’re trying to determine in a fair and impartial way,” said Beth Pittinger, executive director of the Independent Citizen Police Review Board. “We understand that there was an encounter, that there was force used, and an individual had injuries treated at a hospital,” Pittinger said.
The incident involved 31-year-old Roy Cosby, who was arrested near the intersection of 5th Avenue and Wood Street. According to court documents, the officer was working an off-duty assignment at PNC Bank when he and another officer were flagged down by a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus driver.
The driver told police that Cosby was acting disruptively and threateningly, according to court documents. Police said officers removed Cosby from the bus and that he continued to curse loudly, refused to leave the area and would not comply with their commands.
“There’s an allegation, the officer says, he was moving in a way towards his waistband that caused concern,” Pittinger said.
Witness accounts, however, dispute that allegation. Ella Plummer said she began recording with her cellphone after she saw an officer make physical contact with Cosby.
“He’s like pounding on his face back to back and I’m like, ‘What are we doing this for?’ It made no sense to me,” Plummer said.
“As far as I know, there was no weapon found,” Pittinger said. “We’ll go from here. We’ll determine whether there is cause for the board to continue an investigation when they meet at the end of October.”
Cosby’s sister, Camri Cosby, told Channel 11 that her brother suffered broken ribs and was treated for a brain bleed. She believes the officer used excessive force and is calling for accountability.
“My brother did not have to be treated like that over a bus,” Cosby said. “I just personally feel like the cop needs to learn his lesson and get all the punishment he needs.”
Channel 11 reached out to city officials for a statement from Pittsburgh Police Chief Jason Lando and Mayor Corey O’Connor.
Officials said neither will comment at this time.
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