Crime & Safety
Nazareth Cop Sued in Luzerne County
Fred Lahovski also serves as chief in borough of Forty Fort, where he was sued in a First Amendment case.
A Nazareth police officer who also serves as a community is facing a lawsuit over that job.
Officer Fred Lahovski, who works part time as chief of police in Forty Fort, has been accused of violating the First Amendment rights of one of the borough's officers, the Express-Times reports.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday by Officer Peter Lakkis, claims Lahovski kept him from communicating with the borough's mayor and council. It also says Lahovski forced Lakkis to perform tasks that violated borough code, such as posting flyers.
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The suit asks for the end of an order that all communication with government officials in Forty Fort be through writing, as well as the cessation of an internal investigationg into Lakkis, as well as punitive damages.
The filing came just three weeks after Lahovski -- a four-year veteran of the force -- was Borough Council for 10 days, and two months after the borough demoted him from detective to patrolman.
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Borough officials have not explained why Lahovski was suspended.
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