CARTERET - A borough police captain is alleging he has been harassed by the borough and the police department in retaliation for reporting and failing to comply with actions by his superiors he believed to be in violation of regulations and policy.
In the lawsuit filed Dec. 1, 2022 in Middlesex County Superior Court, Capt. Robert Wargocki, who has served with the Carteret Police Department since December 2003, alleged unlawful reprisals under the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act.
In the lawsuit, Wargocki argues he was transferred from the detective bureau to the patrol division, berated by the chief for being "too thorough" in a use of force investigation, changed his work hours which resulted in being unable to work a side job the department had approved, passed over for a promotion to the rank of deputy chief, and relieved of his position as active shooter liaison - all because he has filed complaints about his department superiors.
The lawsuit also alleges Wargocki was served with false disciplinary charges.
The actions taken against Wargocki allegedly stem in part from his initiation of a complaint about Chief Dennis McFadden apparently mishandling excessive force complaints and failing to properly run background checks for local gun purchases.
In addition, Wargocki refused to disclose the names of all the police department's confidential informants when Kenneth Lebrato, the director of internal affairs, requested them.
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