Somerville police discrimination lawsuit alleges officers failed to provide backup
Nicole DeBiase alleges harassment, unequal treatment and retaliation, including delayed or unanswered calls for assistance while on duty.
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The Borough of Somerville and its police chief are facing a lawsuit alleging years of discrimination and harassment.
Nicole DeBiase alleges that she faced the issues while she worked for the police department and that colleagues later delayed or failed to respond when she called for backup.
DeBiase filed the lawsuit Aug. 31 in Superior Court in Somerset County against the borough, Police Chief Dennis Manning and unnamed defendants. The complaint alleges discrimination based on DeBiase's sex, sexual orientation and disability, as well as a hostile work environment and retaliation.
DeBiase, who says in the complaint she is a married lesbian, alleges she was subjected to repeated inappropriate comments and conduct while working for the department.
According to the lawsuit, it was common for supervisors, including Manning, to comment on the physical appearance of women shown on television in the detective bureau, including remarks about their bodies and breasts. DeBiase alleges she was once asked whether she would have sex with a woman shown on screen.
The complaint also alleges a male officer made sexual comments to DeBiase about other women, asked whether she kissed her wife while on duty and, in May, grabbed and hugged her after she declined a hug.
DeBiase also alleges she was treated differently from male officers when seeking light-duty assignments after injuries.
The complaint says DeBiase was denied light duty following an on-duty back injury and again after surgery for an off-duty shoulder injury. She alleges male officers were allowed to perform light or modified duties while injured.
The lawsuit also describes two incidents in which DeBiase says she did not receive timely backup while on duty.
On June 11, DeBiase encountered what the complaint describes as a "volatile and irate" juvenile near a Dunkin' on West Main Street. She alleges she became concerned for her safety and called for backup, but other officers and supervisors were delayed in responding.
The complaint says DeBiase was later told there would be an internal investigation after a lieutenant observed the delay and questioned why it occurred.
DeBiase alleges the delay occurred because she is a lesbian woman and/or because she had complained about her treatment. The complaint says rumors subsequently circulated that DeBiase had initiated the internal investigation and that some officers began ostracizing her.
On July 22, DeBiase was working with the same officers who had been on duty during the June incident when she called for backup during a welfare check, according to the lawsuit. The complaint alleges no officers responded to her request, while two or three officers responded to other officers' calls that day.
DeBiase also alleges her work schedule and assignments were changed. The complaint says she was no longer assigned to some school events connected with community policing and alleges that, during a June bike rodeo, a male officer was permitted to receive compensatory time while DeBiase's schedule was adjusted.
The lawsuit brings six claims under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination: sex discrimination, sexual-orientation discrimination, hostile work environment, failure to provide reasonable accommodation, disability discrimination and retaliation.
DeBiase is seeking damages, attorney's fees and other relief and has demanded a jury trial.
News 12 reached out to the borough and Manning for comment but did not receive a response.
