The Mountainside Police Department is being sued by five officers and a dispatcher who claim they were sexually harassed, bullied and assaulted.
In a 48-page lawsuit filed May 11th in Superior Court, the suit alleges a series of misconduct incidents including the repeated display of a dildo named "Big Blue” reportedly used in pranks involving nudity and racial slurs.
According to the suit, officers Jeffrey Skinner, Christopher Feighner, Richard Latargia, Thomas Norton and James Urban, and part-time dispatcher Amy Colineri claim they were subjected to a hostile work environment and retaliation by Lt. Thomas Murphy and Detective Sgt. Andrew Huber. In addition, the lawsuit also charges that former police chief James Debbie, currently Mountainside's administrator, and Borough Police Chief Allan Attanasio were aware of many of the allegations but took no action.
Officials said the two longtime officers have since been placed on paid administrative leave.
The plaintiffs hope to obtain compensation, punitive damages, among other mends following the environment they had to endure.