Lawsuit: Sussex County Police Officer Groped, Assaulted Woman After Domestic Violence Call

A woman who said she was groped and sexually assaulted by a police officer who responded to an earlier domestic violence call in Sussex County filed a lawsuit last week against her alleged attacker and other town officials, a new report says.

Vernon Police
Photo Credit: *Vernon Police via Facebook*

Valerie Musson

04/30/2021 12:08 p.m.

Vernon Township Officer Emanuel Rivera was charged with fourth-degree criminal sexual contact following the May 11, 2019 incident, in which he allegedly approached the woman’s car, groped her chest, pressured her to follow him to an empty church and forcefully put his hand down her pants, the New Jersey Herald reports.

The Bergen County woman — who says she remains severely emotionally traumatized after the incident — seeks unspecified damages from Vernon Township, the local police department and police chief, the mayor at the time of the incident and the government of Sussex County, the report says.

Rivera previously became the subject of controversy in July 2019 after body cam footage was released of him fatally shooting a loose dog.

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