Middlesex County settles for $1M over harrassment in the Sheriff's office, more advice to Chair

by: kwilkinson

Wed Feb 03, 2010 at 11:30:30 AM EST

The Star Ledger reported that Middlesex County is settling for $1 million in a lawsuit filed by 5 female sheriff's officers.  County Sheriff and Democratic County Chair Spicuzzo said last month that he's still running for his 10th term as sheriff.

He was re-elected Dem County Chair last June.

I guess what we're seeing is that the 'boys will be boys' attitude no longer flies.

In the suit, the five officers alleged they were the targets of "pervasive and regular harassment" from the day they were hired. Accusations were made against Sheriff Joseph Spicuzzo and his then Undersheriff Angelo Falcone among other ranking officers. The women alleged they were subjected to sexual propositions, innuendo, exposure to sexually explicit material and sexually derogatory language...

How do you think the settlement will show in the county budget? I'm definitely going to have stop by and get a copy of the budget, which is being voted on tomorrow, to see how our new Freeholder Director Rafano plans to close the budget gaps.  It's going to be a tight one, also including the loss of $5 million from doing the right thing and canceling the contract to house immigrant detainees in the jail.

And there's another lawsuit still out there:

A separate lawsuit, filed by two former women sheriff's officers claiming harassment -- Joan Ivana and Angel Jazikoff -- is still pending in federal court... In their suit filed by Garrigan, the women claim a hostile work environment affected their mental and physical health. Garrigan contends Ivana was fired in retaliation for the suit. Their suit claims, among other allegations, that Jazikoff complained Officer Robert Landis exposed himself to her in front of other male officers on Aug. 31, 2001... Ivana alleges she was "subjected to constant, continuous and pervasive comments of an offensive and sexual nature."

Wisniewski, are you still wanting advice?  As I just said in the comments of your 'I want advice' diary, we need more diversity, and we need to clean house in Middlesex county or the Democrats will continue lose seats around the county. Even though the countywide positions are still all in Democratic party hands, we've lost 25 seats over the last 3 years and couldn't even hold the county for Corzine.  Reform is not a luxury, it is an imperative.