A 16-year veteran with the Mendham Township Police Department filed a lawsuit against the police force for allegedly instructing officers to illegally profile young drivers and pull them over for traffic stops.
Officer Robert Wysokowski filed the lawsuit earlier this year. The case is now going through pre-trial proceedings in Morris County Superior Court in Morristown, NJ.
Wysokowski’s suit alleges that the department instituted a “quota” for the number of vehicles which officers must stop for traffic violations each month.
Additionally, Wysokowski said that his sergeant specifically ordered him to pull over drivers who appear to be in their late teens or early twenties.
Wysokowski’s lawsuit arose because Wysokowski was allegedly denied a promotion and overtime opportunities after refusing to engage in profiling of young drivers. Wysokowski alleges that the department is retaliating against him.
Not long after the lawsuit was filed, the Mendham Township police chief publicly denied the allegations. At a news conference which was attended by numerous members of the police force, the chief said that his officers “do not engage in illegal actions, unconstitutional acts or violate anyone’s rights.”
Moreover, an attorney for the police department recently issued a statement officially denying the lawsuit’s claims.
The case remains in its early stages, with a trial date not yet set.
For additional information about this case, read the NJ.com article entitled “Mendham Township: Cops Don’t Profile Young Drivers in Traffic Stops.”
If you are accused of a traffic violation in New Jersey, contact Morristown NJ traffic defense attorney Travis J. Tormey for a free consultation about your case.