Ex-Cop Files Sex Harassment Suit Against Newark Mayor, Male Officers: Report

NEWARK, NJ — A former police officer has filed a lawsuit against the City of Newark, claiming that she faced sexual harassment and retaliation on the job, including from Mayor Ras Baraka – an allegation that the city’s attorneys are denying, a report says.

The federal lawsuit was filed Aug. 29. It alleges that the officer – who served from 2018 to 2024 – faced inappropriate behavior from several of her male colleagues, including explicit comments and requests for nude photos, NJ Advance Media reported.

The lawsuit claims that Baraka was among the harassers, alleging that he asked for photos of her in the shower and sent flirtatious messages, which she rejected.

The lawsuit also claims the officer was unfairly retaliated against, deemed “unfit for duty” and pressured into resigning after a 2023 drug test came back positive for a prescribed painkiller.

A Newark municipal attorney told NJ Advance Media that the city “completely denies the allegations in the complaint against the mayor,” but added that it will be conducting an investigation into the matter. Read the full article here.

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