More officer lawsuits filed against Hackensack Police Department alleging discrimination

HACKENSACK — Two more lawsuits have been filed by police officers against the city, the police director and other department leaders, alleging retaliation and age discrimination.

The complaints, both filed last week in state Superior Court in Hackensack, bring the number of lawsuits filed by officers against the city to seven since Police Director Ray Guidetti was appointed to lead the department in August 2022.

In his suit, Sgt. Mark Del Carpio claims Guidetti acted outside the scope of his authority in reorganizing the department, changing policies regarding internal affairs, replacing the supervisor of the office of professional standards and having access to confidential information in investigation reports, internal affairs reports and juvenile investigations.

His complaints that Guidetti violated state attorney general guidelines were not investigated, he said. In June, Del Carpio was ordered to leave his post at the high school graduation ceremony and summoned to internal affairs, where he was improperly questioned, the lawsuit says. He was later removed from his position of overseeing accreditation and was also denied the ability to instruct a class at the Bergen County Police Academy he had taught for years, “in direct retaliation” for “engaging in protected activity,” according to the suit.

After Del Carpio’s suit was filed, a judge ordered the case to be consolidated with similar complaints previously filed against the city in Superior Court by Lt. Anthony DiPersia, Capt. Darrin DeWitt, Officer Francesco Aquila and Sgt. Sean Briggs.

Another suit was filed by Reuven Lyak, a 10-year veteran of the city's Police Department who serves as vice president of the local police union, in federal court.

The second suit filed last week, by Officers James Smith, Michael Capone, Anthony Natale, Richard Levis and Bryan Ziegelhofer, claims Guidetti, with the help of Michael Antista, the department’s operations commander, and Allan DeLeon, Guidetti’s administrative aide, has “engaged in a concerted and systemic scheme to force out the older employees” of the department.

Guidetti commonly refers to the officers, who range in age from 48 to 54, as the “old guard” and has attempted to force them into retirement to clear the way for “young blood who do not question improper and unlawful activities by this police director,” the lawsuit says.

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Guidetti has transferred the officers back to the patrol division, where many begin their careers, to “walk the beat,” has changed their shifts and work hours, and has repeatedly questioned them about their retirement plans, according to the suit.

The officers also claim they have received unfair and unwarranted negative performance evaluations and have been the subject of frivolous internal affairs complaints relating to misconduct, conduct unbecoming, insubordination and cowardice.

“It’s unfortunate that internal complaints of discrimination and retaliation by decorated members of the Police Department continue to go unanswered, leaving no other recourse but to file in state and federal court,” said Robert Tandy, the attorney representing all the officers who have filed the suits.

Tandy declined to comment on whether there will be more litigation brought by other officers.

Guidetti was hired to make reforms after a review found overtime abuses among superior officers and recommended that the city hire an outside police director rather than appoint a chief from within.

City officials have said much of the pushback, lawsuits and complaints since his appointment have been from officers looking to thwart the changes and keep the status quo.

But officers have claimed many changes were made without their input and that a lack of communication among officers and city and police administration has contributed to rising tensions among the groups.

Last year, the unions representing police supervisors and the department rank and file both voted to express no confidence in the department’s leadership. On Friday, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office took control of Hackensack’s internal affairs bureau and office of professional standards.

The city’s position regarding the latest lawsuits remains the same, said Nick Bond, a spokesman for the city.

The department needed “significant reform, and these legal actions, all filed by the same lawyer in what appears to be a concerted effort to disrupt that reform, will not deter us from our mission,” Bond said. “We will vigorously contest this latest lawsuit in court, as we have in all the others, and any further comment will be made through our legal filings.”

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Hackensack Police Department hit with more officer lawsuits