Montclair Police Officer Files Lawsuit Against Town, Alleges Reverse Discrimination

The Montclair Police Department is once again facing an employment discrimination lawsuit, according to a report.

Nutley resident Sgt. Thomas Flynn – a longtime veteran of the MPD - is suing Montclair’s municipal government, former Township Manager Marc Dashield and sundry officers for employment discrimination and retaliation, NorthJersey.com reported.

Flynn’s lawsuit reportedly revolves around his claim that the department’s Table of Organization – a document that spells out the number of staff members needed at each position – is outdated and leaves too much to the sole discretion of the Montclair township manager.

Alleging “reverse discrimination” as a result, Flynn – a Caucasian - is asking that the municipal police department rescind its recent promotion of Wilhelm Young, an African-American officer.

Montclair officials had promoted Young to lieutenant in 2014 after reaching a settlement in a separate lawsuit, which had alleged that Montclair Police Chief David Sabagh used the MPD’s Table of Organization to intentionally manipulate the number of minority officers who received promotions.

According to the Montclair Times:

“Flynn also alleges that since speaking out against the organizational actions of the MPD, he has experienced a “hostile work environment,” and that current and former officers of the MPD, named as defendants in the lawsuit as “John and Jane Does 1 through 10,” have punished him “for the lawful exercise of his civil rights.”

In addition to the rescinding of Young’s promotion – along with two other officers he alleges were improperly promoted – Flynn is reportedly asking for unspecified damages and legal expenses.

According to the 2014 Montclair Police Annual Report, Flynn is the program coordinator for the department’s Field Training Program, which provides newly hired officers with “technical and practical assistance.”

File photo: Montclair Police Department Lieutenant Wilhelm Young shakes hands with Police Chief David Sabagh in 2014 after being promoted.