Former Pittsburgh Police Officer Paul Abel was finally fired after years of making headlines with his own misconduct. Most recently, Abel was called out by a homeless man at a Farmers Market for disrespecting the American flag back in September. During that incident Officer Abel was wearing a Thin Blue Line mask. The Thin Blue Line mask featured an American flag that had been defaced to include a thin blue line in the center covering what had been a grayed out American flag. Officer Abel responded by asking the man for his ID, assaulting him under the guise of a false arrest, stealing marijuana from his bag, kidnapping him, and taking him to jail. He was subsequently suspended for conducting a retaliatory search, seizure, and arrest.
In 2019, Officer Abel handcuffed and detained a black man just for filming him. Abel was being filmed after accusing the man of interfering with a police investigation just by being there. That man maintained that things only became heated between the two of them after Abel lashed out at him. He said that he was responding to a phone call from a frantic relative and that Abel accused him of obstruction, but never actually charged him. He later complained to the news saying that he was illegally searched and detained (https://www.wpxi.com/news/top-stories/citizens-police-review-board-investigating-man-s-claims-he-was-wrongfully-arrested/1012523425/).
In 2017, Officer Abel arrested Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebackers' coach Joey Porter. Porter was accused of refusing to leave a night club and was caught on camera arguing with a bouncer while Officer Abel restrained him (https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2694276-joey-porters-arrest-surveillance-video-released-by-police). Officer Abel arrested Porter for assault with no evidence to back it up. Porter eventually pled guilty to disorderly conduct.
In 2008, Officer Abel was arrested for aggravated assault after allegedly pistol whipping a man while off duty.
The above incident account for just a few of over a dozen misconduct complaints filed against Officer Abel over the years.
The Fraternal Order of Police says that they will fight the suspension.