NEW YORK, May 25 (APP):A Pakistani-American former police officer in AsburyPark, a city in the neighbouring state of New Jersey, filed a lawsuitagainst his police department, saying he was wrongfully terminated andfaced discrimination during his over 15-year tenure.
The lawsuit filed last week says that Kamil Warraich, the policedepartment’s first Muslim police officer, was repeatedly called a“terrorist” and “Taliban” during his time there, according to NJ.com, adigital news service.
His search for justice has led to his dismissal from the department.
“Mr. Warraich was a trailblazer who wanted nothing more than to serve thepeople of Asbury Park,” David Castellani, one of Warraich’s lawyers, saidin a statement to NJ.com. “Unfortunately … Mr. Warraich faced a hostilework environment created by people within the (police department) who didnot want to see a dark-skinned police officer.”
In the lawsuit, the Pakistani-American officer also disputed multipledisciplinary charges and a failed fitness test, which made authorities firehim in 2019, despite having worked at the department since 2004.Warraich joined other minority officers to form a new union last year afterhe was kept out of union activities along with other predominantly blackofficers.
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The police officer also complained about being encouraged to useunnecessary force in minority communities.
“I only used force when it was justified and absolutely necessary,” he said.
The suit also accuses city officials and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’sOffice of mishandling his complaints.
