Nazareth mayor bars police chief, department from speaking to TV news reporter

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

Nazareth Mayor Fred Daugherty barred the borough’s police chief and entire police department from making any comments to an NBC reporter for a news segment expected to air today.

Doug Shimell, a reporter with NBC 10 Philadelphia, said he attempted to interview both Nazareth Police Chief Thomas Trachta and Nazareth Borough Police Association President Frederick Lahovski about the ongoing disputes between borough council and the department, including whether a television can be brought back to department headquarters.


However, Daugherty told Shimell he didn’t want him at the station due to security reasons, Shimell said. The segment is expected to air at either 4 p.m., 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. today.

Shimell said NBC developed the idea to pursue a story on Nazareth after a photographer living in the area had been following recent media reports about possible regionalization with another department. Daugherty said neither he nor council approached NBC news.

“I was instructed by the mayor not to talk to 10 News,” Trachta confirmed Tuesday.

The chief said he then passed the "gag order" down to the rest of the department’s police officers.

Shimell said Daugherty provided an on-camera statement from Borough Hall and discussed such issues as the television being disconnected from the police station last month.

The mayor provided a written letter to NBC and The Express-Times about his thoughts on recent rifts with the police department. Daugherty described the television as a symbol of a “much deeper and flawed” system of providing police service to a borough. He said the Nazareth Borough Police Association has ignored multiple attempts to communicate with borough officials and filed numerous grievances, which are forced on the borough.

On Monday, council members denied a request by Trachta to restore a television set removed last month. Daugherty contends the television was misused by officers on duty and the chief ignored a direct order by council to remove it.

Trachta stressed Tuesday he has had no issues with officers abusing the television and previously said he plans to request a new TV be purchased.

Nazareth Mayor Fred Daugherty barred the borough’s police chief and entire police department from making any comments to an NBC reporter for a news segment expected to air today.

Doug Shimell, a reporter with NBC 10 Philadelphia, said he attempted to interview both Nazareth Police Chief Thomas Trachta and Nazareth Borough Police Association President Frederick Lahovski about the ongoing disputes between borough council and the department, including whether a television can be brought back to department headquarters.


However, Daugherty told Shimell he didn’t want him at the station due to security reasons, Shimell said. The segment is expected to air at either 4 p.m., 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. today.

Shimell said NBC developed the idea to pursue a story on Nazareth after a photographer living in the area had been following recent media reports about possible regionalization with another department. Daugherty said neither he nor council approached NBC news.

“I was instructed by the mayor not to talk to 10 News,” Trachta confirmed Tuesday.

The chief said he then passed the "gag order" down to the rest of the department’s police officers.

Shimell said Daugherty provided an on-camera statement from Borough Hall and discussed such issues as the television being disconnected from the police station last month.

The mayor provided a written letter to NBC and The Express-Times about his thoughts on recent rifts with the police department. Daugherty described the television as a symbol of a “much deeper and flawed” system of providing police service to a borough. He said the Nazareth Borough Police Association has ignored multiple attempts to communicate with borough officials and filed numerous grievances, which are forced on the borough.

On Monday, council members denied a request by Trachta to restore a television set removed last month. Daugherty contends the television was misused by officers on duty and the chief ignored a direct order by council to remove it.

Trachta stressed Tuesday he has had no issues with officers abusing the television and previously said he plans to request a new TV be purchased.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazareth/index.ssf/2012/02/nazareth_mayor_bars_police_fro.html