Caldwell Police Seek Suspension For Cop Who Alleged Discrimination: Report

CALDWELL, NJ — A Caldwell police lieutenant is claiming that his plan to sue the borough and police chief for alleged discrimination inspired a subsequent attempt to suspend him for being “insubordinate,” a report says.

Lt. Michael Geary - the first Asian-American officer to be hired by the Caldwell Police Department – filed notice of his intent to sue last summer, claiming that he suffered under a “hostile work environment” that included ethnic slurs and retaliatory actions, TAP Into West Essex reported.

• See related article: Caldwell Cop Alleges Racial Discrimination, Intends To Sue Police Chief

During a recent public hearing, Chief of Police James Bongiorno and Detective Sgt. Brad Palatucci alleged that Geary refused to turn in his badge, ID and key fob in August when given a notice of leave.

Caldwell officials are seeking a 36-hour suspension for Geary - the third-ranking member in the Caldwell Police Department – for the alleged act of disobedience, TAP Into West Essex reported.

Speaking in response to the insubordination charges, Geary called the charges “retaliatory” and “ridiculous,” the report stated.

According to Christopher Andrews, State Delegate for West Essex PBA, the union fully supports Geary in respect to the insubordination charges.

Read the full report here.

Geary – who changed his legal name from Michael Fung on joining the CPD in 2004 – had previously claimed that Bongiorno subjected him to “acts of discrimination and retaliation.”

In addition, Geary accused the police chief of making ethnic, gender and sexually derogatory comments about a recently hired black female officer, and retaliating against her complaints by making the only women’s bathroom in the Caldwell Police Department a unisex one, writing her up for calling out sick and checking on her whereabouts on patrol by following her around in his police vehicle, TAP Into stated.

Patch file photo: Michael Geary

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