Officer Fired in Rape Case, FBI called in.....
A Point Township police officer lost his job Monday for “violations of multiple policies,” including ethics. Officer Wade Lytle, had become romantically involved with the alleged victim of a sexual assault, the cousin of Point Township Police Chief Josh Vankirk. The suspect in the case, a previous boyfriend of the alleged victim is represented by Williamsport Lawyers Rudinski Orso and Associates .
The disclosure triggered a cascade of concerns about potential conflicts of interest, including the fact that the alleged victim was a relative of the police chief, who passed the case to Lytle.
Town Supervisor Justin Dunkelberger later explained his vote, saying: “I am conflicted because of all the information that is out there and the facts surrounding this. I’m just not 100 percent sure that firing Wade at this point is in the best interest of the township. That being said, if all that I’ve heard and read in The Daily Item is true, I need somebody to tell me that it is unethical. If you read our statutes, it does seem to be that way.”
Before the vote, Lytle asked to speak: So, gentlemen, before you vote tonight, I ask you to remember that even a police officer has a right to be happy in his personal life. I ask you to do what is right for the township’s residents and not to allow the criminal world to beat the police yet again.”
Two Northumberland County commissioners have asked the FBI to investigate the county district attorney’s office and the Point Township Police Department because they fear the county is going to be sued for millions of dollars over what they called a serious ethics issue.
“We are asking for help from the three places,” Councilmen Bridy announced. “We are asking the state attorney general’s office, the U.S. attorney’s office and the FBI to step in and investigate the district attorney’s office and the Point Township police.”
“We also want investigations of Targonski, VanKirk, Rosini, Point Township supervisors and their solicitor, Rick Shoch,” Bridy said. “We want to know who knew what, when and what they did or failed to do.”
“If these elected officials did such a thing, then they have failed in their responsibilities to the residents and to the public safety and criminal justice in Northumberland County,” he said. “This is a very serious matter.”
Categories: Criminal