The suit was filed in Newark last week against Lt. Angelo Andriani and against the city of Hoboken, claiming the officers were the victims of intimidation and harassment caused by the alleged bigotry of Andriani.
Andriani is alleged to have uttered the "n-word" several times while in the company of the officers in public situations with African-Americans present. The plaintiffs also presented photographs of Andriani wearing a Confederate hat in a gift shop in Louisiana, where officers had gone to help with cleanup following Hurricane Katrina.
In a photo accompanying the lawsuit, a man whom the officers say is Andriani appears to have placed a napkin over his head with ripped-out holes, to look like a Ku Klux Klan hood. (The napkin covers the wearer's face, making it difficult to determine who it is just by looking.)
"This case is not just about righting a private wrong between employee and employer; it's about removing a public threat that has no place in today's society," said Louis Zayas, one of several attorneys representing the five men, last week.
The officers bringing the suit are detectives Mario Novo, George Fonseca, James Perez, and Cesar Olavarria, and Sgt. Edwin Pantoja.
Neither the plaintiffs nor the accused could be reached for direct comment on the matter last week.
'No place for that'
"I am not going to, nor should anyone, prejudge the situation, but the content of the allegation is just repugnant," said Mayor David Roberts last week. "There's no place for that anywhere, as far as I'm concerned."
Roberts was at a mayor's conference in South Carolina when the story broke.
Roberts has since instructed city attorney Steven Kleinman to begin an investigation into the matter.
In response to the suit, Kleinman, who as of Thursday afternoon had not yet formerly received the suit, said, "The city recognizes that the allegations contained in the lawsuit are very serious, and will be treating them seriously, but at this point, they are only allegations, not facts."
Kleinman added, "As a matter of policy, the city of Hoboken does not discriminate in any way, shape, or form. We will be taking the appropriate action to deal with this matter in the days and weeks to follow."
The amount of punitive damages the officers are seeking has not yet been announced.
Alleged racist behavior wasn't the only aspect of the suit that raised eyebrows amongst officials.
Four of the men allege that while they were working under Andriani as part of the Hoboken SWAT Team, they allegedly did house chores at his residence in Verona while on duty.
In response to the allegation, Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio is beginning an investigation into the matter, involving an administrative review that would determine whether the case should be referred to a grand jury.
Attorney targets department; chief responds
In addition to the allegations against Andriani, Zayas is also going after the entire Hoboken Police Department, claiming that such alleged behavior would not have gone on if it were not tolerated on higher level.
"There's no question that this 'white supremacist' ideology has infected the ranks of the Hoboken Police Department, creating a hostile work environment based on a culture of hate," said Zayas.
In response to Zayas' attack, Hoboken Police Chief Dr. Carmen LaBruno said, "The discrimination and the hate to which [Zayas] is referring does not exist in the Hoboken Police Department. I would never have tolerated it."
He added, "As chief, I've [assigned] the first ever African American and Puerto Rican American as commander of the Internal Affairs Department. (This is regarded as one of the most sensitive positions in the department, since it involves investigating officers' conduct.) I've also supported every minority promotion that's come to me. What Mr. Zayas is alleging is simply not the case."
According to the chief, approximately 30 percent of the department is minority, with representation throughout the rank structure including one captain, three lieutenants, and five sergeants.
Sergeant Kenneth Ferrante, president of the Hoboken Police Superior Officers' Association, added, "In my 10 years as being a union representative, I have not received one complaint of racial discrimination within the Hoboken Police Department, nor a complaint by a citizen of Hoboken against any officer I represent."
The higher-ups weren't the only ones who disputed Zayas' characterization of the department.
Patrolman Jason Falco, who is bi-racial, dismissed Zayas' claim that racism existed in the department. "I've never seen or experienced any discrimination in the department going on five years in uniform," said Falco, whose father is a retired police officer and mother a member of the Hoboken chapter of the NAACP.
Falco was under the instruction of Andriani for at least two years, while on the SWAT team and in the rapid deployment force, during which time he said that he never heard him utter the "n-word."
Michael Mullins can be reached at mmullins@hudsonreporter.com.
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