Federal lawsuit alleges Orange City police did illegal database searches on department leaders

ORANGE CITY, Fla. — Two former Orange City police officers are suing the department, alleging that illegal searches of personal information about them were done using a state database.
 
In May former Orange City Police chief Jeff Baskoff told Channel 9's Mario Boone that he planned to sue his former department.
 
On Thursday, Baskoff and former lieutenant Greg Melvin made good on that promise with an eight-count federal lawsuit against the department, who they accused of cyberstalking and invasion of privacy.
 
The suit alleges that top brass turned a blind eye during a four-year period while seven officers illegally accessed Baskoff's and Melvin's private driver's license information using the state's Driver and Vehicle Information Database (D.A.V.I.D.)
 
Their attorney, Jack Nichols, said the breach has both men worried about their safety.
 
"Because my clients are former police officers, they don't know who out there may wish to do them harm," said Nichols.
 
The suit details more than a dozen incidents of alleged illegal spying on the former officers.
 
The suit also claims Baskoff and Melvin suffer from anxiety and emotional distress, brought on by the alleged searches.
 
If the suit should succeed, the attorneys' fees, money for damages and other costs could cost Orange City millions of dollars.
 
"This is an unnecessary expense to the taxpayers.  It should have never happened," said Nichols.

WFTV