SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — A Somerset County Sheriff's Officer of Muslim descent has filed a lawsuit against the county and Sheriff Darrin Russo, claiming religious discrimination, and sexual and gender harassment.
Refika Colucci, who has worked for the Sheriff's Office since Feb. 1, 2021, filed the lawsuit in Somerset County Superior Court in December 2025 before it was moved to Hunterdon County Superior Court in June.
"Officer Colucci was forced to endure a work environment in which the upper echelon of the Somerset County Sheriff's Office, including Darrin Russo, promoted and oversaw a working environment where unlawful acts, including sexual harassment and culturally offensive comments, were tolerated, if not welcomed," according to the lawsuit.
Colucci claims it was her childhood dream to work as a law enforcement officer, and instead her "dream became a nightmare."
In the lawsuit, Colucci claimed on more than one occasion she endured sexual harassment.
A supervising officer allegedly hit Colucci on her butt with a clipboard, and on another occasion, her breasts were cupped when the supervising officer pretended to fall into her, according to the lawsuit.
In another instance, Colucci said she worked with a Jewish officer who made comments to her, including "Muslim people should die" or referred to Muslims as "camel humping."
Following an Internal Affairs(IA) investigation, it was found that the officer should be fired. The lawsuit alleges Russo overruled this recommendation, and instead, the officer was placed on a 30-day unpaid suspension.
Colucci also claimed she faced retaliation when Russo removed her from assignments that she favored, including outreach with the Muslim community in Somerset County.
"The Sheriff knew that this type of community outreach was important and gratifying to Officer Colucci. After the IA, Officer Colucci was never assigned to a single Muslim detail or event," according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also claims that when Colucci was eight months pregnant with complications, she was assigned to work in the maintenance unit doing manual labor, including lifting and moving boxes, folding uniforms, and breaking down boxes.
In the lawsuit, Colucci claims she has suffered damage to her career path, emotional distress, humiliation, embarrassment, pain and suffering, as well as economic damages.
"Defendants' conduct, both individually and collectively, was malicious, egregious, willful and in reckless disregard of Officer Colucci's rights for which punitive damages are appropriate against the defendants," according to the lawsuit.
A request for comment from Somerset County or Darrin Russo was not immediately returned to Patch.
See the full lawsuit below:
CivilCaseJacket (1) by Alexis Tarrazi
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