Cops: Officer exposed self during investigation

A seven-year veteran of the Police Department was arrested yesterday and charged with sexual misconduct for an incident in October in which he allegedly exposed himself to a 21-year-old woman, police said.

Joseph Harvey, 35, was charged with indecent exposure, false imprisonment and official oppression, and he was being processed last night, cops said.

Harvey's arrest stems from an Oct. 9 incident when he - while on a plainclothes investigation - entered an apartment near Kensington Avenue and Somerset Street, in Kensington, according to Internal Affairs Chief Inspector Anthony DiLacqua.

While questioning the woman alone in a room of the apartment, DiLacqua said, "Joseph Harvey committed a sex act during which he exposed himself."

He would not elaborate on the nature of the investigation that led police to that apartment, whose apartment it was, and what specifically Harvey did while he exposed himself to the woman.

"He did not touch the complainant nor grope her in any way, but there was some sexual misconduct on his part," DiLacqua said.

Harvey, whose address was also not provided, was assigned to the 24th District, headquartered at 3901 Whitaker Ave., in Juniata.

DiLacqua said that Harvey has been suspended for 30 days with the intent to dismiss.

This was the first complaint of this nature that had been made against Harvey during his tenure as an officer, DiLacqua said.

In high school, Harvey was a star basketball guard at North Catholic and was picked by the Daily News for its All-City third team in 1993.

He went on to play for Misericordia University in Dallas, Pa., where he set the record for most points scored in a game, 41, en route to a career 1,205.

Staff writer Ted Silary contributed to this report.