Police Chief's Contract Set to Expire, No News on What's Next

Nazareth Police Chief Thomas Trachta will be without a contract at the end of December -- in 32 days. And with the future of uncertain, Trachta says he’s in the dark about whether he’ll have a job come 2012.

“I honestly don’t know [what’s going to happen],” Trachta said. “I’m not being evasive. I ask the questions, [the Police Committee] flat out refuses to answer. They’re not telling me anything.”

What Trachta does know: He’s the chief for now and has been told to continue operating the department as if he’s going to remain in his current position.

Trachta doesn’t find the uncertainty fair to him or his family, however.

“I have a family, I have bills,” Trachta said. “Should I be looking for a job? What are they going to do -- wait until the last second and hit me from around the corner?”

He added, “We’re down to 32 days, and there’s no indication of what’s going to happen. It’s not fair to me or my family.”

Nazareth’s police department is currently functioning with 10 part-time officers and four full-time officers. Two of the full-time officers, however, are on workers’ compensation and not working.

That leaves Trachta and Officer Stephen Schleig as the only full-time officers currently working.

The contracts for the department's full-time officers do not expire until the end of 2012.

At the meeting, Trachta wondered what was happening with his contract, which was set to expire in 40 days at that time.

“That’s a personnel issue that we will discuss after our regular meeting,” Police Committee chairman Larry Stoudt said.

Eight days later, Trachta still doesn’t know what 2012 has to hold for him or Nazareth's police department.

Also during the meeting, Trachta asked his usual questions:

“Can I hire three full-time officers?”

Stoudt said, “The answer is still 'no' to the three full-timer officers, and that’s not going to change until we know what’s happening with our police department.”

“Where do negotiations stand with ?”

“No meetings held,” Stoudt continued.

“Is there any movement in pursuing a department merger with ?

“No progress,” Dan Chiavaroli, president of , said.

“Is there any news regarding Nazareth’s police department?"

“Under discussion,” Stoudt said.

After the line of questioning, Stoudt added that Council is continuing to look into both regionalization and the contracting of services, though Nazareth Mayor Fred Daugherty to buy coverage from Colonial Regional -- and Council to start negotiations.

Negotiations have yet to take place.

“The police department is going to have to operate at the best it can with what it has,” Stoudt said.

When Trachta mentioned that he has only one full-time officer working, Councilman Jack Herbst told Trachta that he has “an opportunity to manage.”

“You got what you got, and you have an opportunity to manage,” Herbst said.

Stoudt reiterated that there would be no changes until a concrete decision is made about the police department’s future.

“A lot of people’s lives are hanging in the balance here, and we’re going on a year,” Trachta said.

While pointing at paperwork in front of him, Stoudt countered, “Yeah, and this personnel issue I have in front of me doesn’t make me happy. We’ll deal with this after we’re done with our regular meeting.”

The Police Committee will not meet until January.