Firefighter Sues Bloomfield For $25M After Racist Comments On The Job: Lawsuit

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — A Bloomfield firefighter has filed a $25 million lawsuit against the township, the fire department and its chief, and a fellow firefighter over allegations of racism on the job.

Patrick Thomas, a Black man who serves on the Bloomfield Fire Department, originally announced his claims about racial intimidation in December 2023. Thomas told NBC New York that his co-worker, Walter Coffey, handed him a tied noose and asked him: “I want you to figure out what kind of knot this is.”

“This is a noose,” he replied. “This is what people used to hang my ancestors from trees.”

Thomas alleged that a similar incident took place the previous week before a training class, when Coffey asked him if he wanted to see a noose that was upstairs on a table.

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office conducted an investigation, eventually charging and indicting Coffey for bias intimidation. He was suspended without pay – although he remains employed with the Bloomfield Fire Department pending official termination.

On Sunday, Thomas’ attorneys filed a lawsuit in federal court over the incidents (read the full complaint here, or view it below).

According to the lawsuit, Coffey has been employed with the BFD for nearly 25 years.

Thomas’ lawyers allege that Coffey has used the term “n*****” in the presence of African American firefighters on “numerous occasions,” but never faced discipline from his superiors.

The lawsuit says that at the time of the incidents, only four out of nearly 80 Bloomfield firefighters were Black – although nearly 20 percent of the town’s population was African American.

Thomas is seeking $25 million in compensation for “loss of liberty, emotional distress, humiliation, loss of property, costs and expenses, and other damages and injuries.”

MAYOR ISSUES STATEMENT

Bloomfield Mayor Jenny Mundell released a statement about the lawsuit on Tuesday, saying that the township is reaffirming its “zero tolerance stance” on racism.

“The Township of Bloomfield takes seriously its responsibility to ensure a safe and respectful workplace for all employees,” Mundell said. “There is absolutely no place for racist conduct or discrimination of any kind in the township or in any workplace in our community, and such behavior will be met with swift accountability.”

Mundell continued:

“This is why upon learning of the November 2023 racial harassment incident involving a Bloomfield firefighter, the township took immediate and decisive action, promptly referring the incident to law enforcement. Additionally, the firefighter, Walter Coffey, was suspended without pay and the legal termination process was initiated the same day the conduct was reported. Walter Coffey remains on unpaid suspension and has not been permitted to return to duty while the township finalizes the legal process of terminating his employment. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office conducted an independent investigation, ultimately charging and indicting Walter Coffey for bias intimidation. This criminal accountability reinforces what has been clear from the outset: racist conduct will not be tolerated in Bloomfield.”

“Because this matter is now the subject of active litigation, there are limits to what the township can discuss,” Mundell said. “However, we can be unequivocal about our values. Racial harassment not only violates the law, it violates our core commitments to safety, dignity, and respect for every employee and resident.”

“As mayor, I want the community to know that conduct like this will never be ignored or permitted in Bloomfield,” Mundell added. “The township will continue to uphold the standards of professionalism and accountability that our residents expect and deserve.”

The mayor’s social media post got a range of responses from local community members. As seen online:

• “Two years later, there has been no leadership shake-up, no public release of investigative findings, no mandatory anti-bias overhaul, no new oversight body, and no explanation for why multiple racial incidents were allowed to pile up without a single supervisor or chief being held accountable.”
• “Government should really stay out of who want to be racist or not. They cannot fix such a problem.”
• “Addressing these things in public indicates transparency that a problem exists.”
• “My family had a problem with Bloomfield in 1980 … it's been going on a long long time.”