A Muslim police chief in New Jersey was placed on administrative leave Thursday, several weeks after filing a notice that he intends to sue the town where he works because of alleged discrimination and a hostile work environment. Ahmed Naga, the first Muslim chief of the Long Hill Township Police Department in Morris County, was ordered to turn in his duty and personal firearms and was prohibited from entering any township buildings, according to documents obtained by NJ Advance Media. “Be advised that the township committee acting as appropriate authority is hereby placing you on administrative leave with pay until further notice, effective immediately,” states the letter to Naga from the township’s labor attorney, James Prusinowski. The suspension comes just days after Naga’s attorney, Patrick Toscano of Caldwell, submitted audio recordings of a township committee member telling a private investigator in a sworn statement that the chief had been called a derogatory and racist name. In the audio, committee member Brendan Rae tells a private investigator working for Toscano that Naga told him Committee Member Victor Verlezza had made a crude and racist remark. “He said Vic just called me (an ethnic slur),” Rae says on the tape, which was obtained by NJ Advance Media. Toscano said the recording was made last Friday. “We produced that tape several days ago, not even a week ago, the next thing you know this morning I get a letter saying (Naga) is suspended on administrative leave,” Toscano said. Verlezza did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. Township Administrator Nancy Malool did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Toscano responded to the labor attorney’s letter by questioning the timeline of events leading up to Thursday’s suspension. “We find it exceedingly curious, and indeed ironic, that the action taken by (the township) at this time immediately follows our providing certain revolting and sickening audio tapes and statements to (township attorneys),” Toscano’s letter states. FULL ARTICLE HERE
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