A lawsuit filed in state Superior Court in 2016 alleging that an East Orange police supervisor groped a female police officer has the victim now saying the department is retaliating over the incident.
According to an amended lawsuit filed in court by attorney's, the Special Victim's Unit detective stated that the supervisor, whom she filed the groping complaint against, has issued a negative performance evaluation and several other official warnings which are her first since working as a police officer in the city.
In a separate matter, court records showed that East Orange officials paid out $200,000 in a lawsuit that had another female officer claiming that the same supervisor allegedly masturbated on her couch then advised the woman to keep the incident a secret.
The original lawsuit states that the detective claimed her supervisor forced himself on her by grabbing and kissing on her neck against her will after exiting an elevator at the police station. The detective reportedly ran away from the supervisor and hid in a supply room before reporting the incident to police brass.
The amended lawsuit accused the supervisor of attempting to pressure other police officers to persuade the detective to drop the lawsuit, and when at least one officer associated with the detective declined the request, the officer was demoted back to street patrol officer.
East Orange has made history in the last two two years by hiring the first female Police Director Sheilah Coley, and female Police Chief Phyllis Bindi, neither have commented publicly regarding the lawsuit.