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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, July 03, 2014

Tales of Trachta: Why Nazareth Boro Council Fears Him

Trachta in his man cave
An effective and professional police department is very difficult in a small borough. Officers tend to resent Council members, who have the power to hire and fire, even though they nay be roofers or plumbers. In turn, many of the officers and chiefs look down their noses at the Council and Mayor. A problem police department can and has hobbled many small boroughs. The solution is a regional police department, in which personnel decisions are handled by the Chief and a civilian board.

Though Nazareth periodically squabbles, it is only in recent years that the police department has become a problem. The problems pretty much started with the appointment of Chief Thomas Trachta in 2009. After his arrival, morale within the department began to sink. Residents making calls for police protection on Saturday nights would wait over an hour, and it would be a state trooper who would respond instead of a Nazareth officer. Trachta openly defied instructions from Council members like Larry Stoudt concerning a TV at the police station, with the borough footing the cable bill.

“Who’s running the borough?" asked Stoudt in early 2012 "The chief and police department or this council sitting here running the borough? It’s time council decides who’s running the borough.”

Apparently, it's Trachta.

A few months after Stoudt's complaints, this veteran who devoted his life to the borough found himself arrested for attempting to thwart an investigation into poker machines at social clubs. The person who dimed him was Trachta.

Stoudt had suspicions that a recent club application at the Legion was bogus, and wanted it checked out. Trachta contends that Stoudt was trying to derail the state police operation.*

I believe Stoudt, who was placed on ARD. But Trachta had achieved his goal. He publicly disgraced his chief critic, and in a way that made it look as though he was cleaning up corruption. He got Stoudt thrown off the police committee. He even wrote to the Governor, demanding that Stoudt be removed from office, though he failed there.

One down.

Trachta had another vocal critic on the police committee. Unfortunately for him, he was caught by one of Nazareth's finest, with his pants down, taking a wizz. To me, this is no big deal.  Piss happens. To him and his family, it was humiliating. The family begged Chief Shit Analyzer to let him go, and even provided a statement concerning a medical condition that leads to frequent and sometimes uncontrollable pee pee stops.

I'm not naming this Council member out of respect for him and his family, who really were upset. Trachta gave this guy a break, but not out of compassion. Like Stoudt, he had to step off the police committee. In the meantime, he was able to install people more to his own liking.

Two down.

Instead of hiring vets who served this country honorably in Iraq, he began hiring part-time officers with no military or life experience and shady backgrounds  They listen to him.

Trachta has warned Council members that he keeps a file on each and every one of them.

He tried to get former Council member Jack Herbst, who's had enough after 12 years. Herbst knew what was going on and installed video cameras at his home. These were not to protect him from criminals, but Trachta.

This is how a borough like Nazareth loses control of its government. Town fathers elected by the people are scared into silence by a dictator from Brooklyn South.

And there goes democracy.

Most of the Nazareth police officers are decent and honorable men, but Trachta is teaching them NY tricks on beating the system.

As Independence Day approaches, it is nice to know there are still those who are willing to stand up to Trachta. One such person is Trevor Gehret, who was marched like a hardened criminal in chains for tiny stickers that say, "FT Fire Trachta."

But what about the people we elect to represent us? Are they going to allow a problem cop drive Nazareth into bankruptcy with civil rights suits? Are they going to allow him to persecute a woman and call her a "public menace" simply because she walks other people's dogs?

I will ask Council when they meet on Monday night. If they are unwilling to take action, they should all step down and just declare Trachta as Dictator.

__________________

* Not long ago, Trachta had the PSP run a criminal background check on one of his own officers, Danny Troxell, claiming it was for "investigation." He may only request a criminal background check for that reason or if someone has applied to him to be a police officer. After obtaining the criminal background, he gave it to Troxell. He has been attaching it to resumes to various police departments. The Chief misused borough resources to save Troxell a few lousy dollars. He also had Stoudt prosecuted for doing what he does himself.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is getting confusing. Is Gerbart the drug user or the check stealer?

Anonymous said...

Sounds like another rogue officer. He needs to realize who he works for, the people.

Anonymous said...

I cant wait to see who and whats next any hints

Anonymous said...

@12:41 Are you referring to Chief Trachta, Officer Dan Troxell, or Officer Eric Schwab? Now I'm confused. I don't understand. In other articles Bernie stated that Dan Troxell and Eric Schwab are part - time officers. That means in Pa. They're "at will" employees. For the betterment of the Borough Fire them or better yet simply don't schedule them. They will go elsewhere for working hours. As for Chief Trachta fire him and let the attorneys handle it in court.

Anonymous said...

I am sure borough council will give a disbarred alcoholic all the attention he deserves. Maybe he can bring the check stealer and the druggies as character witnesses. Or some other homeless people. Or if that fails his poison posse can show up to complain. They can tell borough council why they should ignore the health and safety of the boroughs hardworking property owning taxpayers and give in to the criminals..
If the Chief is pissing you losers off this much, he must be doing one great job.

By the way pissing in public is against the law. Not a way of life as some of you practice it.

I am sure council will give you all the respect you deserve.

Anonymous said...

O'Hare and his gang have gone off into crazy land on this one. You think Rosie will have anything to do with you? Her family has mad it clear they want you and your gang to stay away from her.

How about a little respect and some self control.

Anonymous said...

If the Nazareth Mayor and Council fail to remove Trachta he will get more emboldened to abuse his position.
As to the councilman caught taking a piss... I'm willing to bet most men have urinated "in public." It's so much better than peeing your pants. That councilman would likely find the public far more forgiving than he thinks. Especially if it were disclosed that Trachta was holding it over this person's head.

Anonymous said...

"I'm willing to bet most men have urinated "in public." "

i peeing in public right now!

Anonymous said...

Chief Trachta: Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to.

Bernie O'Hare: Did you order the Code Red?

Chief Trachta: I did the job I...

Bernie O'Hare: *Did you order the Code Red?*

Chief Trachta: *You're Goddamn right I did!*

Anonymous said...

Herbst is a good guy. Stoudt and the pisser are not. I want Trachta fired. But Nazareth council was a mess. Their indiscretions are what allows shit like Trachta to happen. Voters should choose their leaders more wisely or they'll end up with more Trachtas.

Anonymous said...

@5:58AM, it's even better in the winter when you can write your name in the snow. Nazareth is hardly a metropolis where taking a leak against a bush creates a major public nuisance. What next, the arrest of pets and wildlife for urinating in public?

Trachta to Bambi: Drop Dead!

Bernie O'Hare said...

" For the betterment of the Borough Fire them or better yet simply don't schedule them"

That's an answer. Ironically, most of the officers are decent guys, in spite of everything. The officer who was having an affair on duty should be disciplined, but is otherwise a decent guy, I'm told. There are only a few brought on board by Trachta. It's pretty obvious Eric Schwab is one of them.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"This is getting confusing. Is Gerbart the drug user or the check stealer?"

Gerhart is the one person who is standing up for democracy while people like you pretend to be patriots.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"I cant wait to see who and whats next any hints"

There are numerous other allegations of misconduct by the Chief and his officers, but I do not have enough to blog about them comfortably. If I develop the facts, I will blog about it.

Anonymous said...

hang cameras on all of them.
for everyone's safety.

Anonymous said...

This is getting confusing. Is Gerbart the drug user or the check stealer?

Judging by the photo of Trachta, he is the drug user. He's using right in the photo, asswipe.

Anonymous said...

I am sure borough council will give a disbarred alcoholic all the attention he deserves. Maybe he can bring the check stealer and the druggies as character witnesses. Or some other homeless people. Or if that fails his poison posse can show up to complain. They can tell borough council why they should ignore the health and safety of the boroughs hardworking property owning taxpayers and give in to the criminals..
If the Chief is pissing you losers off this much, he must be doing one great job.

By the way pissing in public is against the law. Not a way of life as some of you practice it.

I am sure council will give you all the respect you deserve.


Mezzacadaver - Did you clean out you house yet? Bernie O'Hare wants to sit naked, Indian style in the center of his new unfurnished living room.

By the way, are you wearing your holsters, you psychopath?

Anonymous said...

What next, the arrest of pets and wildlife for urinating in public?

Don't let Hudak in BethTwp hear that. He will order the immediate execution of all wildlife in the parks. God forbid a child rolls in animal urine! The horror.


-NotClem

Anonymous said...

Hey Tracta...since urinating public is aginst the law tell Your asshole officers not to piss at the park by the building at the pool.....Heh..didnt think antone was around...did You...You fuckin douche bag...they should have jailed You in NY but You got a sweet deal and now Your our problem

Anonymous said...

I myself have be cited by a town officer not saying who, I was wrong, but I must say I give them credit with all this bs being shoved at them they still go to work and answer the calls and put their life on the line for little to no money. all these blogs are bs. if you have people stating facts lets see them, if there are photos lets see them, I am beginning to think this is a one side agenda to attack the officers and boro. I pay my taxes and I like to see the cars drive by my house 2 or 3 times a day, and there are other officers in the department that I've heard have done shady things but their names aren't on here, is that because there the ones feeding the information, makes you have to think about where a lot of this is coming from. just a citizen stating my opinion not taking sides

Bernie O'Hare said...

You have been cited by a cop and are not saying who. You are not even saying who you are. Yet you ask, where is the proof? I have been presenting it, day by day, and I say who I am. The Eric Schwab comments are prrof. The story about him is proof. The story about Stickergate is proof. The Stoudt prosecuition is proof. TWhat Herbst says is proof. The story about the officer having an on-duty affair is proof. The Lahovski arbitration ruling is proof.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Bernie O'Hare said...

I am deleting the reference to the business owner who complained about Rosie. I believe he misinterpreted what he saw, but I don't doubt his honesty. I have no desire to hammer him. He did not file the charges. The Nazareth police did.