Wayne officer sues township for second time, seeks reversal of 'improper' termination
WAYNE — A police officer who is suing the township on claims of discrimination and harassment was terminated last month and has now sued officials for a second time to get her job back.
Christie Ohlendorf, 40, who was hired in September 2014, filed a lawsuit in state Superior Court in Paterson to reverse the township’s disciplinary action and to restore her position in the Police Department.
The six-page suit also asks a judge to award back pay plus any other compensation that she lost because of what she called her “improper” termination.
Meanwhile, Ohlendorf’s initial complaint remains unsettled.
In that case, which entered mediation two weeks ago, she claimed she was passed over on multiple occasions for a promotion due to her gender and that she was diagnosed with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the abuse she allegedly endured as a female officer in the department.
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Ohlendorf sought mental health treatment, remaining on sick leave for five months.
Court records show that her termination stems from an incident that occurred shortly after her return to work in October. She was served with a preliminary notice of disciplinary action two months later.
The disciplinary notice lists 11 charges of alleged insubordination, misconduct and untruthfulness against Ohlendorf.
Capt. Joseph Rooney testified at the officer’s termination hearing that she was assigned to “light duty” at police headquarters on Oct. 22 because she had not yet qualified to return to work with her service weapon.
Ohlendorf’s superior officer, Sgt. Mark Ciavirella, ordered her to stay behind the tempered glass of the dispatch desk for her own safety.
Rooney testified that the officer disobeyed Ciavirella’s command by interacting with a civilian and her 9-year-old child “outside the secure area.”
Ohlendorf left her secure station of the dispatch desk to enter the lobby due to a situation that she said “escalated” and required intervention, according to a 14-page report by the attorney who conducted her hearing.
The attorney concluded in the report on July 12 that the township met its burden of proof, and he recommended Ohlendorf be terminated from her position. Within days, officials sent a letter to notify the officer that they adopted his findings.
Township Attorney Matthew Giacobbe did not return a call placed to his law office in Oakland on Monday.
Ohlendorf was paid an annual salary of $124,411 at the time of her termination.
Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: devencentis@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Wayne cop seeks reversal of 'improper' termination
