Controversial city police officer to be fired

The Philadelphia Police Department is firing an officer who racked up more citizen complaints than any other street cop.

Officer Andre Boyer, a 17-year veteran who spent most of his career in North Philadelphia's 22d District, was suspended Tuesday for 30 days, pending dismissal.

A police spokeswoman, Officer Jillian Russell, said that, after an internal investigation, Boyer faced a July 23 hearing before the Police Board of Inquiry. She said the board found him guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer, and disobedience. It then ordered him suspended with intent to dismiss.

Boyer, whose firing was first reported in the Daily News, did not respond to phone and text-message requests for comment.

Kelvyn Anderson, of the Police Advisory Commission, said the department's case against Boyer stemmed from a citizen complaint filed in 2011, alleging that money was stolen when a suspect was stopped.

He said that complaint was one of 21 filed against Boyer, the highest number in recent years against any officer in the 6,600-member force.

Boyer previously was found to have falsified dozens of arrest reports, according to a 2008 confidential police investigation.

That investigation was made public when Boyer filed a 2012 federal suit against the city, charging that the Police Department ruined his reputation with the 2008 finding.

Boyer for years ranked as one of the city's highest-arrest officers.

In April, The Inquirer reported that judges had begun to express concern about Boyer's arrests.

Common Pleas Court Judge Paula Patrick threw out one of Boyer's arrests last year after he testified that he frisked everyone in every car he stopped. Police must meet legal standards to frisk suspects.

Tasha Jamerson, spokeswoman for the District Attorney's Office, said that from January to June, her office had declined to prosecute 14 of the officer's cases. She said a full list of Boyer's cases that had been declined by prosecutors was not immediately available.

Public Defender Bradley Bridge has applauded the district attorney's decision not to prosecute some of Boyer's cases.

John McNesby, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, said the union would file a grievance on behalf of Boyer.

Boyer is being sued in federal court by hip-hop star Meek Mill, whose real name is Robert Williams.

Williams, who is black, alleges that Boyer and another officer illegally detained him on Halloween based on racial profiling. He said he missed an Atlanta concert because he was detained.