LAWRENCE, Ind. -- Two Lawrence police officers -- including a former chief -- sued their department and Lawrence's mayor on Friday, with one alleging age discrimination and the other alleging superiors tried bullying him into supporting allegations against the first.

Lt. Jack Bailey, the department's former chief who has been suspended with pay since April, and Officer Scott Hancock filed the suit Friday in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis.

The lawsuit claims Bailey (pictured), who became chief in April 2006, was demoted to captain without explanation in November and then further demoted to lieutenant in December while younger, less experienced officers were promoted to captain.

Bailey was 55 at the time of his demotions. The lawsuit claims Bailey then received several written reprimands, an unrequested shift reassignment and the April suspension, all of which the suit alleges were bogus.

"Lt. Bailey and Officer Hancock have taken a stand against abuse of power," the plaintiffs' attorney, Abraham Murphy, told 6News' Jack Rinehart. "They refused to be bullied, intimidated and harassed by what they believe to be an unethical and vindictive police administration."

Lawrence police said Bailey's discipline was warranted. They said that while he was chief, he wrongly put into his office a TV that had been seized during a drug raid.

The lawsuit counters that the TV was used for officer training, and that department policy allows materials seized in drug raids to be used for such a purpose.

Lawrence police also allege that Bailey acted improperly in connection with a March traffic stop that Hancock conducted on a Lawrence Township official.

According to the lawsuit, Hancock smelled alcohol on the official, who had been driving, but Hancock did not arrest him, and Bailey, who assisted Hancock after the stop, drove the official home.

No one was charged in the incident, though Bailey was suspended in April because of it, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also alleges that the police department tried to bully Hancock into supporting false allegations against Bailey in connection with the March traffic stop.

The suit says Bailey lost his second job as a security guard for a business because of his suspension.

The lawsuit asks for a jury trial and seeks money for both officers, including for emotional distress, for Bailey's loss of his security job, and for loss of future employment opportunities.

Lawrence Deputy Police Chief Lance Rutallie said he believes the lawsuit is politically motivated because it was filed just days before Election Day. Mayor Deborah Cantwell is running for a second term.

"In the midst of an election, both the police department and the mayor are being assailed for trying to do the right thing -- to make sure that the law is fair and impartial," Rutallie said.

Murphy said the lawsuit's timing was dictated by legal notice requirements and federal law.

Earlier this year, four black police officers filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging that Cantwell, who is white, engaged in racial discrimination and used a racial epithet.

Cantwell has denied the black officers' allegations.

Bailey and Hancock are white; no racial discrimination is alleged in their lawsuit.