A state trooper who was acquitted last year of domestic violence allegations has returned to work, according to a Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson.
Trooper Nicholas E. Hood, 33, had been suspended without pay in early 2024 as charges of simple assault and harassment were filed against him by the state police internal affairs division in connection with an August 2023 incident reported by a woman in Derry Township.
He was acquitted of those charges in October by a Westmoreland County jury.
Hood returned to full duty status in January, according to spokesperson Chris Caracino. He had been employed at the Greensburg station prior to his arrest. It was unclear if he was still assigned there.
Despite the acquittal, Hood remains subject to a protection-from-abuse order filed against him in relation to the August 2023 allegation, according to documents reviewed by TribLive at the Westmoreland County Courthouse. The initial temporary PFA order prohibited him from possessing or acquiring firearms. A final order remains in effect until Oct. 16, court records showed.
When asked if the PFA affected Hood’s ability to perform his job duties, Caracino said: “PSP does not comment on personnel matters.”
A Commonwealth Court opinion in 2018 upheld an arbitrator’s decision that permitted a Pennsylvania state trooper who was the subject of a PFA to be placed on restricted duty status while the order was in place that prohibited the possession of firearms.
After the allegations, Hood was originally issued a summary citation in September 2023, but a month later that count was dropped when TribLive reported the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office had recommended he be charged with a more serious offense.
State police officials said the agency’s internal affairs division reevaluated the case and filed the criminal charges in March 2024 that later resulted in the acquittal.
Hood enlisted with the state police in 2015, officials said. His current salary is listed as $105,113 on PennWATCH.