by KYW's Tony Hanson

Four Philadelphia police officers are being fired  and three others are being suspended for conduct unbecoming an officer, for allegedly hitting or kicking three suspects arrested two weeks ago following a triple shooting.

The incident was videotaped by a TV news helicopter (see previous story), and that helped lead to the swift and firm action by the police brass.
    
Police commissioner Charles Ramsey (right) says the seven fired or suspended officers -- and a sergeant who is being demoted to officer for failing to take action to stop the other officers' conduct  -- failed to act within department policy and procedures:

"We have standards in this department. We have policy and procedures that have to be followed, and there can be no exceptions to that. We have to be better than some of what we showed on the fifth of May. Many of the officers acted appropriately. But many did not. And those who did nto have to suffer the consequences for those actions." 
 
Ramsey says a total of 19 officers -- 18 city police and one SEPTA transit officer -- were involved in the apprehension of the three shooting suspects on May 5th (see previous story). 
     
Two of the officers are relatively new to the force and can be terminated immediately. Two others are being suspended for 30 days with intent to dismiss.
   
Ramsey says the disciplinary decisions were made after a detailed review of the enhanced videotape (see related story).

Watch the full helicopter video  

John McNesby, president of the Philadelphia local of the Fraternal Order of Police, says the union will challenge the disciplinary moves as a rush to judgment, a lack of due process, and unwarranted.  
 
McNesby says the officers were responding to a street-corner shooting in the days following a police sergeant's murder and in an environment when one out of every three city cops is assaulted in any given year, yet their actions are scrutinized.  
 
He says that in the equally controversial videotaped arrest of Thomas Jones some years ago, the eventual result was not one hour of discipline against any office involved.

The eight police officers being disciplined are identified by the Philadelphia Police Department as Ofcr. Vincent Strain of the 35th District (dismissal), Ofcr. Patrick Gallagher of the 35th District (dismissal), Ofcr. Patrick Whalen of the 35th District (dismissal), Ofcr. Robert Donnelly of the 35th District (dismissal), Ofcr. Sean Bascom of the Narcotics Strike Force (five-day suspension), Ofcr. Demetrios Pittaoulis of the 35th District (10-day suspension), Ofcr. Jonathon Czapor of the 25th District (15-day suspension), and Sgt. Joseph Schiavone of the 35th District (demoted).

The mother of one of the three suspects arrested on May 5th, who was protesting outside police headquarters on Monday (right), says she is not satisfied with the commissioner's actions.  She says more officers should be fired, and she wants criminal charges brought against them.
 
The district attorney is investigating.