Status of Nazareth's Police Department: 'No News. No Meetings.'

Déjà vu is the best way to describe Monday night’s Police Committee meeting in Nazareth, with Police Chief Thomas Trachta to hire three full-time officers and the mayor again saying "no."

“In a 38-hour time period, three police officers were assaulted in Nazareth Borough,” Trachta said, adding that one of the officers was injured and is currently not working -- leaving him with only one full-time officer.

In response to Trachta’s request, Mayor Fred Daugherty Jr. simply said he does not support the hiring of full-time officers. Daugherty continues to stand by his that the borough contract services from .

Trachta asked committee members where negotiations stood with Colonial Regional, if there was any movement in pursuing a department merger with Upper Nazareth Township, and if there was any news regarding Nazareth’s police department.

Councilman Jack Herbst answered each question the same way: “No news. No meetings.”

Trachta responded with an elongated “OK.”

Daugherty then began asking Trachta questions.

“Are you aware of -- or has there been any talk -- with the [Nazareth Borough Police Association] about responding to multiple letters sent to them from the borough?” Daugherty asked.

Trachta said he is not a member of the association, and “wouldn’t have that information."

Daugherty then asked about the status of Det. Fred Lahovski. He was referring in part to Lahovski taking another job out of town. Early Monday, Lahovski was assaulted after responding to a call.

Trachta explained that Lahovski was sworn in as the , Luzerne County.

“That’s all I know,” Trachta said.

“You have nothing in writing from him about that or about his future in the borough?” Daugherty wondered.

“He said he’d give me more than two weeks notice,” Trachta said. “He has cases he’s working on. He just got back from vacation and . I haven’t had much time to talk to him about that. But I can ask him.”

In other business, Trachta was again given permission to purchase two shotguns for $239 each.

“This was initially approved in the 2011 budget, but it went by the wayside because of the uncertainty of the police department,” Trachta said.

According to Trachta, the mounts for the guns are already in the cars -- they’re just empty.

The chief also asked if he could purchase three .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistols, which will cost just under $2,000.

“These were already approved, I’m just giving you the price,” Trachta said.

Herbst wondered why more pistols were needed.

“Didn’t we have a full complement of guns before, when we pretty much had a full force?” he asked.

According to Trachta, the department has 14 guns, but with to fill one full-time officer's spot, more guns are needed.

Each officer trains, qualifies and goes home with one gun, Trachta said.

“The gun is very [personalized to the point] where you can’t share a gun,” Trachta explained. “It comes down to -- God forbid -- if there’s a shooting, [investigators] will pick it apart and ask, ‘Is that the gun you trained on? [If not,] why were you carrying that gun?’”

Trachta added that because of past lawsuits -- unrelated to the borough -- it’s “more cost effective” for each officer to have his own gun, and having 14 isn’t enough.

Nazareth in recent years has followed the lead of Upper Nazareth Township when it comes to what kind of gun the department uses.

“I follow Upper Nazareth, not because I thought [the .40-caliber Smith & Wesson] was a better gun, but because I thought it was a better choice,” Trachta said.

If Upper Nazareth is assisting with a tactical situation, Trachta explained, all officers have the same gun and can share magazines if necessary.

“I follow Chief [Alan] Siegfried’s lead on that,” he said.

Committee members did not have a problem with Trachta purchasing the three pistols or two shotguns since they were approved in the 2011 budget.