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‘100 Years of Magic’

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Ecumenical Enterprises Inc. collects participates in Toys for Tots program

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A federal judge ordered former city police chief Marcella Lendacky to sit for a deposition next week in a pending civil suit filed by Wilkes-Barre Police Benevolent Association officials alleging they were retaliated against for their union activity.</p><p>Lendacky is scheduled to give sworn testimony at 11 a.m. Dec. 18 at the law office of Elliott Greenleaf &amp; Dean in Wilkes-Barre, the firm representing her and other city defendants in the suit.</p><p>Attorneys for Sgt. Phil Myers, PBA president, and Officer Dan Duffy, PBA vice president, Monday asked U.S. District Judge Robert Mariani to compel Lendacky to appear because of their previous unsuccessful attempts to depose her.</p><p>&#8220;Plaintiff&#8217;s counsel believes this Order is necessary due to efforts required to schedule Defendant Lendacky&#8217;s deposition, and the fact that it has been continued on more than one occasion,&#8221; attorney Ryan Lockman, of Mark B. Frost &amp; Associates of Philadelphia, wrote to the judge.</p><p>Attorneys for the defendants agreed to the order. It does not affect the deposition of Mayor Tony George set for Wednesday at the law office.</p><p>The city, the mayor, Lendacky and former Commander Ron Foy were named as defendants in the suit filed in January by Myers and Duffy, who alleged retaliation for their criticism of the department&#8217;s management.</p><p>Duffy was firedOct. 18, 2017, over an alleged threat sent by email, but was reinstated almost a year to the day later, on Oct. 16, without an admission of wrongdoing by the city. Myers was suspended twice. They alleged their protected union activity led to the retaliation by the administration and police leaders.</p><p>Lendacky retired in June following the March release of an independent report that the union pushed for and city council approved. The report by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association concluded neither Lendacky nor Foy had the professional qualifications to serve in their senior leadership posts in the department.</p><p>Foy was demoted to detective after the mayor eliminated his commander&#8217;s position.</p><p>The city then conducted a search for a new police chief.</p><p>The mayor, after putting the process on hold due to stalled negotiations with finalists, appointed Commander Joseph Coffay to replace Lendacky last month.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Lendacky </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_Marcella-Lendacky-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Lendacky </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Court order compels former WB police chief Lendacky to give deposition in civil suit