WILLIAMSBURG - Borough Council members agreed unanimously to bring a suspended Williamsburg police officer back to the force, but not in the same capacity.
After an hourlong deliberation, council members voted to keep Officer David Flaig under suspension until Nov. 30 and reinstate the one-time officer in charge as a patrolman Dec. 1 with the ability to rise in the ranks.
Williamsburg's police department made headlines in August and September when former Williamsburg Mayor John Traxler called for a state police investigation into alleged misconduct by Flaig. State police did not find any misconduct on the part of Flaig and said it was up to the mayor and the council to conduct an internal investigation if they deemed it was necessary.
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The public hearing was held to determine if Flaig did not uphold his duties as a police officer, specifically in the investigation of a robbery at Nic's Grab and Go.
Flaig is eager to return to work.
"I'd love to get back to work," Flaig said to listening council members after more than two hours of testimony from Flaig and four women called by the prosecution.
The testimonies were a battle of he said/she said, with former Nic's Grab and Go employees Marsha Smith and Dora O'Brien saying Flaig made inappropriate sexual requests of them and showed them inappropriate images on his cell phone.
Flaig denied the allegations. He said he exchanged images of a sexual nature with Smith.
"I deny showing them to her, yes," he said. "I don't deny sending them to her."
He said the exchange was in fun, and he would have stopped if Smith, who he said was a friend, would have asked him to.
The women accused Flaig of asking to see their breasts, but Flaig denied that allegation as well.
"Not even one time," he said. "Never happened."
Flaig's attorney, Thomas Hooper of BMZ Law, said he suspected the allegations were in retaliation after the two women heard they might be suspects in the robbery.
Flaig is a former Roaring Spring police officer and currently serves in Freedom Township.
The council also accepted Traxler's resignation, and they have 30 days to appoint a new mayor.
Mirror Staff Writer Amanda Clegg is at 949-7030.
