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Gay Cop
Wins $450K in Bias Suit
by
365Gay.com from the Web, January 11, 2007
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Haledon, New Jersey -- A
police officer who sued Haledon, New Jersey and several of its officials
alleging that he was discriminated against and refused a promotion because he is
gay has reportedly received a $450,000 settlement.
The sum was agreed to in a brief proceeding in state Superior Court in Paterson
the Herald News reports.
It must still be approved by the Borough Council. Taxpayers would be
responsible $30,000. The rest would be paid for by the borough insurer.
The dispute began in 2002 and the lawsuit has dragged on since May 2004.
Sgt. James Len said that once it became known in the department he is gay the
work environment changed and he went from being an officer on the fast track to
promotion to lieutenant to being dead ended.
The suit named then-Mayor Ken Pengitore, Councilman Ayman Mamkej and Police
Chief Harold Engold Jr.
The 42 year old Len came out to his wife and children in April 2002 and shortly
after that moved out of the family home.
His suit said that as word spread through the police department that he is gay
officers on the force began to treat him differently.
The suit claimed officers rigged the evaluation process in which Len was being
considered for a promotion to lieutenant in order to prevent him from being
promoted. It also said fellow officers harassed him and made anti-gay
comments.
Court papers filed in 2004 alleged that Mamkej once called over the police radio
"Homo, homo, homo," and Pengitore referred to him as a "three dollar bill".
It also was claimed that Pengitore and Mamkej tailed him in their cars while he
was off duty.
The court filing said that Len asked police officials to investigate his
allegations of harassment, but was refused. Instead he was handed 14
departmental disciplinary charges.
The settlement stipulates that charges brought against Len by the Police
Department be expunged from his personnel file, and that any promotion practices
in the future be done in "good faith".
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