A Pennsylvania appellate court ruled Wednesday that an arbitrator overstepped his authority when he upheld the firing of an Ohio Township police officer who claimed he was hearing a voice named “Zoey” and feared he might “act out” violently.
The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania reversed a lower court’s decision, finding that the arbitrator had no jurisdiction to rule on the officer’s discharge because the only grievance officially filed was a dispute over administrative duty pay.
“Zoey” and Allegations of Volatility
The case centers on former Officer Khalid Aladdin, who joined the Ohio Township Police Department in 2020. According to court records, Aladdin’s service was uneventful until January 2023, when he approached Chief of Police Joseph Hanny with concerning reports about his mental health.
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Aladdin reportedly told the Chief he was communicating with a voice in his head named “Zoey,” who directed him to hurt himself. He also expressed extreme agitation, fearing he might ignore calls or leave work abruptly.
Following this meeting, other disturbing allegations surfaced. One fellow officer reported that Aladdin expressed a desire to “find somebody black… and start a race war,” though Aladdin later categorically denied making this statement. Another report claimed he conducted 15 traffic stops in 45 minutes to provoke a fight.
Medical Evaluations Raise Questions
The Township placed Aladdin on leave and ordered a fitness-for-duty evaluation. Neuropsychologist Dr. Glen Getz reported that while Aladdin presented psychiatric symptoms, he appeared to be “over-reporting” or exaggerating their severity. Dr. Getz noted a potential language barrier—Aladdin immigrated to the U.S. as an adult from Iraq—but ultimately concluded Aladdin did not suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
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When the Township denied Aladdin’s request for paid administrative duty under Act 59—a state law providing benefits for officers with PTSD—the police union filed a grievance.
Arbitrator “Exceeded Jurisdiction”
The legal battle hinged on what exactly was being decided during arbitration. The Township moved to honorably discharge Aladdin under the Police Tenure Act due to his condition. The arbitrator, Marc A. Winters, ruled in favor of the Township on both counts: denying the PTSD benefits and upholding the discharge.
However, in the opinion filed January 7, 2026, Judge Michael H. Wojcik wrote that the arbitrator went too far. The Union had only formally grieved the denial of Act 59 benefits. The issue of the discharge itself had not been properly submitted to arbitration, nor had the requisite processes for grieving the termination been completed.
“The Arbitrator therefore plainly exceeded his jurisdiction by reaching the issue of honorable discharge,” Judge Wojcik wrote. The Court noted that while the Township had sent notices regarding a hearing on the discharge, the actual termination vote and subsequent grievance process hadn’t played out before the arbitration hearing took place.
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What Happens Next
The Court emphasized that Act 59 (mental health benefits) and the Police Tenure Act (employment status) are separate legal mechanisms. An arbitrator cannot simply merge them without the proper procedural steps.
The ruling reverses the trial court’s order in part and remands the case to vacate the portion of the arbitration award that authorized Aladdin’s removal from service. The decision forces the parties back to the drawing board regarding the procedural handling of the officer’s employment status.
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