NJ Transit Outed, Retaliated Against Whistleblower Cop: Lawsuit

NEWTON, NJ — A former New Jersey Transit police officer reported a colleague's misconduct. Then his name got leaked, according to a lawsuit Anthony Deprospo filed against the agency.

Deprospo worked for the NJ Transit Police Department from 2004-16. During his tenure, he reported an "egregious action" of a coworker to Internal Affairs, according to the lawsuit filed March 22 in Sussex County Superior Court.

NJ Transit was supposed to maintain Deprospo's anonymity in the investigation, but detectives exposed his name and contacted him for an interview, the complaint says. The actions exposed Deprospo as an informant against a fellow officer, according to the lawsuit.

The complaint doesn't detail the alleged wrongdoing of the officer Deprospo reported but says that the plaintiff's then-colleague "was not following the departmental rules relative to conduct."

After NJ Transit leaked Deprospo's name, the agency never promoted him or gave him any raises, according to the lawsuit. The action also put him at risk of retaliation from his fellow officers, the complaint states.

The lawsuit lists NJ Transit and the state as defendants. An NJ Transit spokesperson told Patch that the agency "does not comment on pending litigation."

Deprospo now works for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office as a detective, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit alleges violations of New Jersey's Conscientious Employee Protection Act, which is meant to protect workplace whistleblowers from employer retaliation. NJ Transit also created a hostile work environment, intentionally inflicted emotional distress against Deprospo and engaged in negligent hiring and supervision, according to the complaint.

The plaintiff demanded a jury trial, seeking unspecified damages, lost wages and attorney fees.