Harrisburg – The Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office has completed its review of the incident giving rise to the arrest of Harrisburg City Couniclwoman Sandra Reid on November 26, 2014, at a city gas station.  District Attorney Edward M. Marsico, Jr. has determined that a summary charge of disorderly conduct is warranted against Ms. Reid.  Ms. Reid unnecessarily inserted herself in an active arrest and ignored numerous requests to allow the police to continue their work at the scene of the arrest without interference.  The District Attorney concluded that a misdemeanor charge of obstructing the administration of law did not apply to her conduct.  That charge requires proof of force, violence, or similar unlawful act and there was no evidence of such conduct in this case.

The video surveillance from the gas station and the patrol car demonstrated that the two police officers involved acquitted themselves appropriately and with extraordinary patience throughout the incident. The officers had arrested a man who had been involved in an incident inside the gas station/convenience store with a woman whom he had prevented from leaving the store. Ms. Reid pulled into the station and her headlights shone into the face of the arrestee. Police asked Ms. Reid to turn off her lights and after a few requests she did turn off the lights, then turned them back on, before finally turning them off again. Ms. Reid then instructed the officers to take the arrested person inside the store, presumably on account of the cold.  The temperature at the time of arrest was 45 degrees Fahrenheit.    The arrestee, who was seated, seemed comfortable and was cooperative with the two officers there.  During her interaction with the one officer, Ms. Reid demanded his name and badge number.  Ms. Reid repeatedly berated the police during their detention of the person arrested.  Ms. Reid had no connection to the arrested person or the circumstances that led to his arrest.  Ms. Reid ignored numerous requests from the police to stop interfering with the arrest and detention of the man.  After her arrest, Ms. Reid identified herself as a member of city council and indicated an intention to call the chief of police.

As part of its review process, the District Attorney’s office read a report of an earlier interaction between Ms. Reid and a Harrisburg Bureau of Police officer.  On August 27, 2014, Ms. Reid confronted a uniformed officer in a marked vehicle near her house.  The officer had his emergency lights on and was investigating the theft of a car on that street.  Ms. Reid ordered the officer to move his car.  When he informed her that he was conducting an official investigation, Ms. Reid threatened to call the chief of police.  After the officer again informed her that he was conducting an official investigation, Ms. Reid repeated the order for the officer to move his car and demanded his name and badge number.  After being informed that her neighbor’s car had been stolen, Ms. Reid responded, “Oh, I didn’t know”, and then let the officer continue his investigation. These charges are mere allegations and Ms. Reid is presumed innocent at this time. Mr. Marsico will be available in the Courthouse lobby at 11:30 a.m.