Police Officer Charged With Misconduct Quits

West Bloomfield Police Officer Jeffrey Pindzia has resigned from the force prior to his preliminary exam on charges of alleged ticket fixing.

Pindzia, 38, of Canton Township, a 17-year veteran of the West Bloomfield Police Department, . Both are felonies punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to $20,000.

Pindzia, who is free on personal bond pending a hearing Tuesday before 48th District Court Judge Diane D'Agostini, has denied any wrongdoing through his attorney, Mitchell Ribitwer. Last month, Pindzia gave his resignation effective April 1, according to Denise Maier of the West Bloomfield human resources department.

Neither the West Bloomfield Police Department nor Ribitwer could be reached for comment Monday morning.

Pindzia had been relieved of duty by the West Bloomfield Police since March 29, when the department announced it had begun an internal investigation into allegations of a two-man ticket-fixing scheme between Pindzia and co-defendent Rudi Gammo, 31, of Southfield. Gammo is charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct.

The investigation was turned over to the Oakland County Sheriff's Department. The men are alleged to have conspired to make township residents two different sets of traffic violations, written by two different West Bloomfield police officers, disappear between Nov. 16 and Dec. 12.

Ribitwer said in March that Pindzia's reputation on the police force was never in doubt and that there had been no conspiracy between Pindzia and Gammo.