Nationwide — Patrick Thomas, an African American firefighter from Bloomfield, New Jersey, has filed a $25 million lawsuit claiming he endured repeated acts of racist harassment contained in the Bloomfield Fireplace Division — together with being handed a noose throughout a coaching session in an incident that was recorded on digicam.
In line with EURweb, Thomas, who’s Black, says the harassment escalated throughout a rope and rappelling coaching train in 2023. In line with his account, fellow firefighter Walter Coffey tied a noose, approached him laughing, and stated, “I need you to determine what sort of knot that is.” Thomas advised him straight, “I do know precisely what that is. This can be a noose. That is what individuals used to hold my ancestors from bushes.” He says Coffey continued laughing even after being confronted.
A number of firefighters witnessed the second, Thomas stated, together with his captain, who appeared visibly shocked. “My Captain and one other firefighter got here to test on me. I may inform by the look of their faces they have been in disbelief,” he recalled.
Thomas additionally reported that the noose incident was not the primary time Coffey behaved inappropriately. Only a week earlier, he says Coffey advised him, “‘Hey Thomas, there’s a noose upstairs on the desk,’” earlier than laughing when Thomas questioned why he would need to see one thing so offensive. The lawsuit additional alleges that Coffey has used the N-word in entrance of African American firefighters “on quite a few events” with out going through disciplinary motion.
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Workplace investigated and charged Coffey with bias intimidation. He has been suspended with out pay and stays employed solely whereas authorized termination proceedings transfer ahead.
In his lawsuit, Thomas is in search of damages for emotional misery, humiliation, lack of liberty, and different hurt associated to the racially hostile work surroundings he says he endured. Bloomfield Mayor Jenny Mundell issued an announcement condemning the habits and affirming the township’s zero-tolerance stance on discrimination. “Racial harassment not solely violates the legislation, however it additionally violates our core commitments to security, dignity, and respect,” she stated, including that Coffey’s suspension and pending termination replicate the township’s dedication to accountability.
