Pa. officer fired after off-duty disturbance

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — An eastern Pennsylvania police officer charged in what prosecutors alleged was an off-duty drunken disturbance last fall has been fired.

The Express-Times of Easton reports that Allentown city council members voted 5-0 Wednesday night to fire 35-year-old Jeffrey Rush of Bethlehem.

Lehigh County prosecutors alleged that Rush broke a car window and pushed in window air conditioners Sept. 23, then entered a local bar where a disturbance ensued.

Rush, who had been on the force since 2002, pleaded guilty to a summary count of public drunkenness earlier this month and said he hoped to retain his job. Prosecutors dropped charges of disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.

He didn’t attend the meeting and the paper said his attorney didn’t respond to a text message.