A Bloomfield firefighter has filed a $25 million federal lawsuit against the township, the fire department, its chief, and a fellow firefighter, alleging repeated racist harassment on the job.
Patrick Thomas, one of only four Black firefighters in a department of nearly 80, says coworker Walter Coffey twice showed him a noose in November 2023 — once handing it to him and asking him to identify the knot. Thomas also alleges Coffey routinely used the n-word around Black firefighters without consequences.
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office later charged and indicted Coffey for bias intimidation. He was suspended without pay and remains employed pending termination.
Thomas is seeking $25 million for emotional distress, humiliation, and other damages.
Mayor Responds
Bloomfield Mayor Jenny Mundell said the township maintains a “zero-tolerance” stance on racism, noting officials immediately referred the case to law enforcement and moved to fire Coffey the same day the incident was reported.
She emphasized that racial harassment “will not be tolerated” but added that ongoing litigation limits what the township can discuss.
Online reactions to the mayor’s statement ranged from criticism about a lack of broader accountability to support for transparency — with some residents saying racial issues in Bloomfield “have been going on for decades.”