A police officer in Bergen County who said he was punished for complaining about the chief’s son has settled his whistleblower lawsuit for $636,766, court records show.
Michael Gardenier claimed in court papers that Chief Rich Gaito’s son remained on the payroll even though he was unable to come to work, instead using his father’s accrued time off.
Gardenier, now 48 and deputy chief of the department, alleged Cliffside Park officials retaliated against him by failing to make accommodations for the officer and his son with autism, refusing to promote Gardenier from sergeant to lieutenant and subjecting him to an overall hostile work environment.
Gaito and other officials also tried to falsely implicate Gardenier in a coverup of drunken driving charges against two borough police officers in 2019, alleged the lawsuit, filed June 6 in Superior Court of Bergen County.
Gaito retired from the police department in January 2020.
According to a settlement agreement signed Sept. 15 and first published by Transparencynj.com, Cliffside Park agreed to settle Gardenier’s claims of emotional distress, punitive damages and attorney fees for $575,000.
They also agreed to write him a check for another $61,766 to cover back pay.
Borough officials deny any wrongdoing or liability arising from claims in the lawsuit or a later amended complaint.
Attorneys for the borough did not immediately return a call and email seeking comment on the settlement.
In exchange for the settlement, Gardenier...
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