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MILLVILLE - A former Millville police officer who accused other officers of harassing him because he is gay has settled his federal lawsuit for $415,000.

Robert Colle, now of Egg Harbor Township, alleged that the department's officers, including superiors, harassed him because he is homosexual. Colle also claimed he was targeted by some officers after he threatened to expose an on-duty romantic tryst involving a superior.

In his lawsuit, which he filed in October 2007, Colle claimed he was subjected to ridicule from other officers. He also alleged that police officers refused to back him up on a call involving a disorderly woman. The agitated woman bit his finger to the bone, according to the lawsuit.

Six officers were named in the suit: former police Chief Ron Harvey; Lt. Tom Romanishin; and police Sgts. Ronald Harvey, Edward Zadroga, Les Watson and Jody Farabella. The city was named for not taking proper steps to protect Colle, the filing said.

Farabella and Sgt. Harvey, son of the police chief, were later removed as defendants from the suit.

Colle's attorney Arthur J. Murray said the settlement occurred in May. As part of the agreement, Colle, who had been on leave since August 2007, resigned from the police department, Murray said. None of the police officers named in the suit was required to admit any wrongdoing, according to the settlement.

Of the total sum, $400,000 was paid by the Municipal Excess Liability Joint Insurance Fund. The remaining $15,000 was paid by workers' compensation for psychiatric, psychological or other bodily injury.

Colle joined the force in 1994. He first went to city officials with a complaint of harassment Nov. 7, 2006. He claimed superiors and the city ignored his complaints.

He filed his lawsuit in Cumberland County Superior Court, but the case was eventually transferred to the U.S. District Court.

Colle, through his attorney, declined to comment Tuesday. Murray said Colle wants put the entire ordeal behind him and move on.

Ron Harvey, who retired as police chief July 12, 2007, also declined to comment.

City Clerk Lew Thompson said the settlement was self-explanatory, and would not comment either.

The city has not revealed, despite requests by The Press of Atlantic City, whether any of the officers named in the lawsuit were disciplined. The city only has a legal responsibility to identify officers terminated as part of disciplinary action, according to Thompson.

All of the officers named, except for former Chief Ron Harvey, are still employed by the police department.

Since the lawsuit was filed, Romanishin was promoted to captain and Zadroga and Watson to lieutenants.

E-mail Edward Van Embden:

eVanEmbden@pressofac.com

5 comments:

• SummerWind (44) posts 8:13 am

  There was no conclusion except to form a question. Without a doubt, there are many parts to a lawsuit. Don't forget that police departments and the towns employ their own lawyer(s). Lawyers from each side can take a situation, any situation, and exploit it. People use lawyers to protect themselves just like police unions employ lawyers to protect themselves. Everyone uses lawyers when complex problems arise and someone (the guilty ones) have to pay for the failure that caused the lawsuit. How can one party, the police department for example, be let off the hook or get the benefit of the doubt? Television shows us all the time about bad cops. Those four Hollywod cops were caight on tape making up a disgusting lie last week. Not all cops are bad but enough are to ruin the pristine image. So, when two parties get angry and neither one wants to give in - file a lawsuit for resolution. An unbiased jury (both sides have a say in who is picked for it) help resolve it. The jury isn't automatically anti-cop or out to award money. Like you or I, individual jury members can still be biased - pro and con cops. Let the each sides lawyers bring out the known facts, let the judge decide which evidence is permitted and let the jury members decide what's "bull" and what's not. I'll bet they get it right more times than not. And, if a town settles before a verdict, your gut tells you how it was going to end anyway despite the infamous lawyerspeak - no one claims any wrongdoing....yeah right.

• 93Ford (107) posts 10:44 pm

  I agree with some of your assertions, but not with the conclusion of who's entirely to blame. To each their own, I've agreed with some items listed but others blow my mind! Some things deserve to be brought out, but attorneys sometimes have a habit of distorting other harmless events. That's their job to the detriment of the taxpayers.

• SummerWind (44) posts 9:53 pm

  Police departments are responsible for so many "litigious" issues because they are often irresponsible and flagrant in their filing of frivolous departmental charges. It's no better than filing a frivolous lawsuit. If you read the lawsuits, they are mostly born out of frivolous departmental charges and abuse of administrative processes and poor management. So who's really to blame when you examine the entire situation?

• 93Ford (107) posts 10:49 pm

  There is a lot of blame to go around in the police departments, but they do not deserve all of it. We live in a litigious society and the nature of police work makes it a ripe target.

• MisterSmith (2) posts 9:14 am

  Millville, Egg Harbor Township and Atlantic City taxpayers must have DEEP, DEEP POCKETS! Isn't it time that someone contact the police academies and examine the course of study? First, do any of the harassers get fired or do they get to keep their jobs while innocent taxpayers foot the gigantic bills? Second, what are the politicians doing about this seemingly everyday harrassment inside police departments? No wonder people have lost respect for law enforcement. It is out of control.

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