*A Bloomfield, New Jersey, firefighter has launched a $25 million lawsuit alleging repeated racial harassment at the fire department.
Patrick Thomas, a Black firefighter, detailed incidents of intimidation and discriminatory behavior, including a noose being handed to him during rope and rappelling training, and the moment was caught on camera. In 2023, Thomas described the encounter with Walter Coffey, saying, “One of my co-workers tied a noose and gave it to me. He was laughing, and he was like, ‘I want you to figure out what kind of knot this is.’ So my reply was, ‘I know exactly what this is. This is a noose.’ I said, ‘This is what people used to hang my ancestors from trees.’”
Thomas added, “I asked, do you think this was funny? And he proceeded to laugh.”
@nbcnewyork Disturbing surveillance video has now surfaced two years after a black Bloomfield firefighter accused a white colleague of knotting a rope into a noose and taunting him. That firefighter just filed a $25 million lawsuit against the township. #newjersey #controversy #firefighter #bloomfield ♬ original sound – NBC New York
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The firefighter said several colleagues witnessed the incident. “My Captain and another one of the firefighters came to check on me. And I could tell by the look in their faces they were in shock,” he said.
According to NBC News, Thomas also reported a previous incident involving Coffey the week before, when he was told, “‘Hey Thomas, there’s a noose upstairs on the table.’ … I said, why would I want to see a noose? He looked at me, he laughed. He was like, ‘I am just telling you.’”
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office investigated the incidents and charged Coffey with bias intimidation. Coffey was suspended without pay, though he remains employed pending official termination. Thomas’ lawsuit further alleges that Coffey has used the racial slur “n*****” in front of African American firefighters on “numerous occasions” without facing discipline.
Thomas is seeking $25 million for “loss of liberty, emotional distress, humiliation, loss of property, costs and expenses, and other damages and injuries.”
Bloomfield Mayor Jenny Mundell released a statement reaffirming the township’s stance against racism. “The Township of Bloomfield takes its responsibility seriously to ensure a safe and respectful workplace for all employees,” she said.
The mayor added that Coffey was suspended and that legal termination proceedings are underway. “Racial harassment not only violates the law, but it also violates our core commitments to safety, dignity, and respect for every employee and resident,” Mundell stated.
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