Special Deputy C. Fred Sova

September 21, 1882 - September 8, 1931

On Monday, September 7, 1931, Special Deputy C. Fred C. Sova was fatally shot by a burglar in the Town of Brighton, New York.  Back in 1931, the Town of Brighton had one Traffic Officer.  The County of Monroe Sheriff's Officer patrolled the town and was aided by the town constables.

Fred Sova was a Brighton Town Constable who had volunteered near the end of the summer for the Special Deputy Squad to search for a prowler who had been burglarizing Brighton since June. Special Deputy Sova and Special Deputy Cyril Pemberton had been assigned to one of the 10 districts into which the town had been divided.  It took many nights to catch the Brighton burglar.

Sova and his partner, Special Deputy Pemberton, had stopped their car shortly after 2:00 a.m. on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 1931, at Landing Road and Buffard Drive, when they saw the light from the burglar's flashlight shining on a basement window.  They went up to the individual and told him to put up his hands.  The burglar, Frank Nentarz, was cornered at the side of the house, but he fled.  The Special Deputies (Constables) then pursued him.  He ran about 200 feet to an abandoned trolley station, where he slipped and fell.  Sova and Pemberton overpowered him and handcuffed his hands in front of him.  Pemberton searched one side of Nentarz and found an ice pick in a pocket.  Sova and Pemberton, one on each side of the prisoner, started to walk back to their car.  Nentarz suddenly pulled out a pistol and fired several shots.  One bullet entered Sova's abdomen.  Sova and Pemberton were then able to subdue the prisoner.

Sova was taken into a nearby residence, an ambulance was called, and Sova was taken to Genesee Hospital. Sova died from his injuries on September 8, 1931, at the age of 48.

Special Deputy Sova was buried at White Haven Cemetery in the Town of Perinton, New York on September 11, 1931.  Special Deputy Sova's name appears on Panel 24E-28 on the National Law Enforcement Memorial located in Washington, D. C.