By Alexander Macinnes
The Herald News
PASSAIC, N.J. — A black firefighter who filed a federal discrimination lawsuit claiming systemic racial harassment by his superiors has settled with the city for $162,500.
Todd Pickett, an 18-year veteran, sued the city and Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost in U.S. District Court in Newark on allegations that Trentacost created a hostile atmosphere for Pickett in a department that is predominately white, according to the lawsuit. Much of the alleged harassment occurred in 2007, the suit said.
The $162,500 settlement was struck in October between Pickett and the city’s insurance company, which will cover the city’s tab, according to Anthony Iacono, Passaic’s business administrator. Iacono added that since the city does not pay the settlement, officials had no involvement in striking the deal.
“There are things the city would have input on, those are claims that result in settlements we would have to come up with,” Iacono said. “But, when a third party administrator settles it, we don’t pay. As much as we could want to appeal, it’s not our money.”
Iacono acknowledged that the city could incur a financial hit through higher insurance premiums. Whenever Passaic enters a claim like the Pickett settlement, the insurance company will likely raise its rates, Iacono said.
Pickett’s attorney, Angelo Bisceglie of Woodland Park, did not return several calls for comment on the settlement. Under the agreement Pickett signed, the firefighter is prohibited from speaking to the media.
Trentacost declined comment last week.
In April 2007, Pickett alleged that his lieutenant yelled at him to raise the American flag up the flagpole at the Westside firehouse, even though it was raining outside. Pickett, according to the lawsuit, complied, and members of another tour were forced to lower it later that day because of the rain.
Pickett also alleged he was singled out to throw out a bottle of wine from the refrigerator, even though there were four white firefighters in the kitchen at the time and Pickett himself was in another room.
Pickett requested transfers, which would allow him to work with different firefighters, but they were denied by the department’s top brass, according to the lawsuit.
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