Sergeant files employment lawsuit against a Bergen County police department
A Black sergeant in Alpine is accusing the Police Department, the chief, the borough, a councilwoman and the mayor of refusing to promote him because of his race and a culture he described as an "old boys network."
Wendell Simpson, who has been with the department since 2000 after serving in the military, said that beginning in 2006, the department, Chief Matthew Kent, Mayor Paul Tomasko and Borough Council member Vicki Frankel have prevented him from advancing within the department because he is Black.
His suit, filed in state Superior Court on March 28, says he has been "subjected to disparate treatment" compared with his white co-workers.
Kent and the borough did not immediately respond to messages for comment.
Simpson said that in his time with the department, he has never been told his performance was inadequate or that he needed to improve in certain areas, nor has he had any "serious" disciplinary infractions.
The suit says Simpson "embodies the ethic and integrity" of a police officer and has excellent qualifications but has been denied promotions in 2006, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2017 and now in 2024 while his white colleagues have not. Simpson said he also has been denied leadership training multiple times.
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He said he wasn't promoted until he filed an earlier lawsuit in 2017 alleging discrimination.
The suit says Kent and Frankel did not put together the appropriate committee to determine promotions to sergeant in 2006, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2024 and that department heads are part of an "old boys network" who "conspired" to deny Simpson promotions despite his having more seniority and qualifications.
Simpson said the Alpine Police Department has a history of discrimination against him and that it acknowledged the "disparate" treatment when the former chief asked him not to sue the department while passing him over for a promotion.
The sergeant said Tomasko "reiterated the sentiment" during lieutenant interviews when he asked Simpson what he would do should he not get the promotion.
He was most recently passed over for a lieutenant position, despite being the most senior person on the police force and only a year away from when he could retire, and the person who received the promotion has fewer years on the force and was trained by Simpson, the suit says. Simpson also said everyone who has a higher rank than his is less senior than he is and was trained by him.
According to Simpson, Kent refuses to speak with him and walks past him daily without exchanging typical courtesies.
Simpson said the defendants have engaged in racial discrimination and disparate treatment based on race. He is seeking back pay, lost wages, compensatory damages, punitive damages, the cost of the suit and injunctive relief.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Alpine NJ police sergeant files lawsuit against department
