45°
John Eckert, a 12-year veteran of the force, is accusing Chief Gabriele DiPietro of assigning duties based on age and family status and withholding proper consideration for promotions, Daily Record reports.
The department that's part of the part of the Morris County Park Commission reportedly declined comment on the suit to the Daily Record.
The complaint, filed in Morris County Superior Court on Tuesday, describes a dual-leveled structure in the department that routinely prioritized younger officers for patrol and tactical units.
The suit, which seeks unspecified damages, further states that DiPietro showed favoritism toward younger officers by purchasing their meals and assigning his friends to posts since taking over as chief in 2016.
Eckert in the suit says officers in non-administrative roles are considered "real cops" and are typically offered overtime opportunities denied to other units.
In 2017, Eckert was a recipient of the prestigious New Jersey Attorney General's Award for Outstanding Community Policing, which recognizes officers across the state with a history of community policing endeavors.
Click here for more from Daily Record.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Parsippany-Troy Hills and receive free news updates.
