'Never Be Afraid:' Ex-Cop Speaks After Suit Against Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Now that Vanessa Strunk has settled a harassment lawsuit with the City, the former Ocean City police officer is ready to put the situation behind her.

Strunk had a message for people who may be victims of sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation: don't be afraid to speak out.

"I encourage other victims to speak out against discrimination," Strunk said in a statement to Patch, "and never be afraid or fearful to stand up for what is legally right even in the face of unrelenting retaliation."

Strunk filed the discrimination lawsuit in 2018. She claimed that several male officers harassed her between 2009 and 2018, including spreading rumors about her having an affair, displaying her underwear in the police locker room and insinuating that she couldn't do her job well because she's a woman. Read more: Ocean City To Pay $300K To Ex-Cop In Harassment Suit Settlement

The City denied sexual harassment and workplace retaliation in its response to the 2018 complaint. In the settlement completed January, the City doesn't admit to any wrongdoing.

"Because of the uncertainty inherent in litigation," City Solicitor Dottie McCrosson told Patch in a statement, "the city sometimes settles lawsuits in order to avoid taxpayer exposure to greater damages, even when it views the allegations to be without merit.”

But Strunk still had some strong words.

"It is always easy to assassinate the victim's character or reputation with lies when you cannot defend the truth as the Defendants attempted to do in this case," Strunk said. "I hope the defendants learned from this case and realize that the truth will always prevail and that not all women are afraid to demand equal opportunity, justice and respect."

The Lawsuit

The lawsuit detailed several alleged incidents over a nearly 10-year period. Officer Matthew Schaffer sent Strunk text messages demanding she attend a party with him in 2009, according to the complaint. He became pushy when Strunk declined, she claims.

Another officer told Schaffer he was being inappropriate, and he allegedly replied, "You don't know who you're messing with."

In 2013, Officer Eugene Sharpe didn't allow Strunk to escort a prisoner "in case something happened," suggesting she could not perform her job based on her gender, the lawsuit says.

The complaint also alleges that several officers spoke disparagingly about women on the force.

Strunk initially feared retaliation if she reported misconduct to management, the lawsuit says. But she complained to her union representative in 2015. The complaint claims her supervisor, Simonson, formally reprimanded Strunk and the pattern continued until she left the department in 2018.

In 2017, Lt. Charles Simonson removed Strunk's underwear from her locker and displayed them in the police locker room, according to the lawsuit.

The City admitted in its answer to Strunk's suit to an incident that year in which Simonson gave her a mock performance review that said, "Vanessa is a pain in the ass and complains about being a woman every four or five days.” The City claimed Strunk was aware the evaluation was a joke.

Also named in the suit were then-Chief of Internal Affairs John Prettyman and then-Chief Chad Callahan.

Strunk Speaks Out

With the matter settled, Strunk's attorney, Sebastian Ionno, sent Patch a statement from the former officer.

"I think it's important for employees to know that there are laws out there to protect them against sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation," Strunk said. "People should learn these laws and should be educated in the event you need to protect yourself against a dishonest administration/employer."

Read Strunk's full statement below:

"I would like to start off by saying, I am happy to put this all behind me for the sake of myself and my family. I was employed by the Ocean City Police Department as a summer officer and then hired as a full-time police officer in 2013. I have accomplished a lot and received several certifications and letters of recognition for my achievements throughout my career. What I loved most about my job was helping people who were in need and trying to make a difference to change the public's negative perceptions of police officers. I want people who have met me to remember me as an officer who was compassionate, understanding, kind, and tried to make a positive difference in their lives. Being a police officer is not just enforcing the law, but also serving people in the community. I enjoyed being a police officer, but unfortunately I could not continue to remain silent and look the other way when it came to discrimination and illegal conduct.

"I think it's important for employees to know that there are laws out there to protect them against sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. People should learn these laws and should be educated in the event you need to protect yourself against a dishonest administration/employer. I encourage other victims to speak out against discrimination, and never be afraid or fearful to stand up for what is legally right even in the face of unrelenting retaliation.

"It is always easy to assassinate the victim's character or reputation with lies when you cannot defend the truth as the Defendants attempted to do in this case. I hope the defendants learned from this case and realize that the truth will always prevail and that not all women are afraid to demand equal opportunity, justice and respect.

"I am extremely proud of myself for having the courage and strength to be persistent during this process. I would like to say thank you to my husband, Thomas Strunk, our daughter and family and friends who have been supportive during this difficult time. I am very proud of my husband, Tom, for putting on his police officer uniform, being professional and serving the community of Ocean City despite the pain the defendants caused us. I would also like to thank my lawyer Sebastian Ionno and his team members for working on my case.

"I'm looking forward to this next chapter of my life. Thank you and God Bless."

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