Central Islip, Federal Court. Michael H. Carmody, a former Police Officer with the Rockville Centre Police Department, Rockville Centre, N.Y., has sued his former employer for discrimination and retaliation in his termination after he voiced his opposition to racially offensive statements made by his Sgt. and other officers about African-Americans. He will hold a press conference tomorrow, October 21, 2005 at 11:00 a.m. in the Nassau Supreme Court Pressroom.
In the 27 page, seven count, over $30,000,000 complaint filed today in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Mr. Carmody charges the Village of Rockville Centre, Rockville Centre Police Department, Commissioner of Police John P. McKeon and Sgt. Brian Burke with wrongfully and maliciously terminating his employment on August 1, 2003 after he objected to and complained about the use of the “N” word and other racially offensive statements made about African-American residents who resided in the predominantly African-American part of Rockville Centre, commonly referred to as the Martin Luther King, Jr. complex.
Mr. Carmody states in his complaint that he was number one in arrests in the patrol division. During the 16 months that he worked for the RCPD, he issued approximately 1200 summonses, one of the highest levels in the department. He received an above standard performance evaluation for period 7/15/02 to 1/15/03 from his immediate supervisor, Sgt. Chuck Gennario. At the time of the evaluation he had been a member of the RCPD for 9 months. He was a former member of the NYPD for 10 years, where he was highly regarded and served as a trainer/instructor. With a family history of service in police enforcement, Mr. Carmody was shocked at the disrespectful and racially charged attitudes that were exhibited against the Black members of the Village of Rockville Centre by his fellow police officers. Mr. Carmody stated, “I only sought to protect and serve while respecting those whom we served, but when I heard members of the Rockville Centre force call Black residents names, I could not stand by and allow those comments to go unchallenged. It was just wrong and because I voiced my objection they treated me with the same disrespect.”
Mr. Carmody, who is 35 years of age was summarily terminated, without notice or reason, which left him with no option to return to his position on the NYPD or seek other work as a police officer. His attorney Frederick K. Brewington said, “It is outrageous that we are finding this level of racial venom still existing against the African-American community and against those who seek to combat racism. Mr. Carmody was singled out because he would not agree with the abusive actions in his work place, and for that he was targeted and attacked. He and his family have suffered for his opposition to the negative racial attitude he encountered. Something must be done! The wrongdoers must be held accountable for their discriminatory actions.”
Mr. Carmody and his attorney Frederick K. Brewington, will hold a press conference announcing the details and filing of this law suit on October 21, 2005 at 11:00 a.m. in the Nassau County Supreme Court Pressroom. It is anticipated that representatives from the ACLU, NAACP and other community groups will be present and will speak in support of Mr. Carmody.