Seven Officers File Suit Against Former Princeton Police Chief David Dudeck

Seven members of the Princeton Police Department have filed a lawsuit against former Police Chief David Dudeck, the town of Princeton and the Princeton Police Department, alleging a pattern of discrimination, harassment and inappropriate workplace behavior dating back to 2008. 

The plaintiffs are Sharon Papp, Steven Riccitello, David Chitren, Carol Raymond, Christopher Donnelly, Michael Bender and Christopher Quaste.

All of the officers are former members of the Princeton Borough Police Department who worked under Dudeck until consolidation this year. Dudeck was then named chief of the combined department, but went out on medical leave in late February after members of the Policeman's Benevolent Association brought allegations against the chef. 

Dudeck ultimately chose to retire, with his full pension, effective Sept. 1. In exchange, the PBA dropped its claims. 

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs charge that Dudeck engaged in "an egregious and continuing pattern" of gender discrimination, sexual orientation discrimination, disability discrimination and sexual harassment that "created an abusive and hostile work environment." 

The suit asks the court for a trial by jury and award compensatory damages (for emotional distress, pain and suffering, lost promotion, employment, wages and benefits) punitive damages and attorneys fees and costs. 

"By and through the actions and conduct set forth above, Defendants have discriminated against and harassed Plaintiffs based upon their gender, sexual orientation and disability, and created a hostile work environment in violation of the LAD and Plaintiffs' civil and due process rights," the suit reads in part.

Among the allegations included in the lawsuit are that Dudeck:

• referred to Papp and Raymond (both lesbians) and other women as "dykes" and would use the phrase "put his/their finger in the dyke" when referring to their work for the department and in their presence. 
• Comparing Quaste's annual camping trip to the movie "Brokeback Mountain" which depicts a homosexual relationship during camping trips. 
• Mocking Chitren's loss of a testicle due to testicular cancer by asking him, "How's it hanging?"
  
• Grabbing and shaking his genitals while saying "right here" or "I'm no pussy" in the presence of the plaintiffs. 
• Referring to Papp as the "Claw" and pointing to a blender, mocking her for scarring that she received on her right hand and wrist as the result of third degree burns she suffered as a child.
  
• Repeatedly squealing like a pig imitating the movie "Deliverance," in which a male was raped and told to squeal like a pig by his attackers in the presence of plaintiffs including female officers and then questioning Riccitello and Bender about whether they "would take it that way."
• threatening and intimidating officers, including plaintiffs, that if they ever spoke out against him or filed any complaints against him they would be committing "career suicide."
• Mocking Chitren to shave a moustache he was growing for the cancer awareness cause "Movember" because it made him "look gay" and like "a fag."
• Slandering Plaintiffs with false disciplinary and performance allegations in retaliation for their complaints about his discriminatory and offensive conduct.