Cop accused of forcing man to engage in sex act

A Philadelphia police officer was arrested yesterday for allegedly having forced another man to take part in a Fairmount Park tryst.

Officer Michael Paige, 40, was charged with unlawful restraint, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse and related offenses stemming from the incident, which occurred last month, police said.

Commissioner Sylvester Johnson suspended Paige for 30 days with the intent to dismiss.

Several hours before the city was blanketed by a sleet storm on March 16, Paige pulled over a 1995 Lincoln Continental in Fairmount Park, police said in a statement.

Paige, who was on duty and fully uniformed, "failed to adhere to Police Department policy" while conducting a search of the vehicle.

He allegedly then took one of the male occupants from the Lincoln to a secluded section of the park and engaged in "non-consensual sexual activity," police said.

The unidentified male victim notified police officials, and Paige was temporarily assigned to desk duty while the allegations were investigated, police said.

Paige had been assigned to the 92nd District, which is headquartered on Lincoln Drive near Gypsy Lane in East Falls. He joined the Police Academy in October 1989. *