A veteran police officer in Livingston, New Jersey has sued the township, alleging that he was punished and sidelined after reporting repeated antisemitic remarks and discriminatory behavior within the department.

In a lawsuit filed in Essex County, New Jersey Superior Court, Officer Christopher Wagner claims that supervisors and township officials retaliated against him after he raised concerns about harassment and bias directed at Jewish officers and residents.

Wagner, who has served with the Livingston Police Department since 2005, alleges that several colleagues routinely made jokes and comments about Jewish people, creating a hostile work environment.

According to the complaint, during pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel demonstrations in 2025, some officers told Wagner, “Your people are out there,” referring to demonstrators supporting Israel. When officers were assigned to manage traffic outside a local synagogue, some reportedly called the detail the “Hebrew 500,” a reference to the Daytona 500 auto race.

The lawsuit also alleges that one non-Jewish officer regularly referred to himself as “a cheap Jew” in front of Wagner and others. In November 2025, Wagner says he discovered a book titled The Jew placed on top of his locker, which he reported to a supervisor.

Wagner contends that he brought these incidents to both police leadership and township administrators but that officials “took no action” in response.

The case adds to a growing pattern of internal disputes within the department. Court records show that another Livingston officer filed a discrimination lawsuit in 2023, prompting an internal affairs investigation. Wagner says he was questioned as part of that inquiry and supported the other officer’s claims, which he alleges marked the start of retaliation against him.

According to the suit, shortly afterward, supervisors opened an internal affairs investigation based on a complaint from an 18-year-old drug dealer regarding Wagner’s demeanor, even though his sergeant had found the allegation unsubstantiated.

Months later, Wagner was served with disciplinary charges seeking a two-day unpaid suspension. Those charges remain unresolved, the complaint states.

Wagner also alleges that he was repeatedly passed over for promotion to sergeant despite strong performance on the written exam and positive evaluations. Township officials, he claims, promoted officers who had not filed complaints or engaged in “protected activity.”

In addition, the lawsuit says Wagner was denied an assignment to the department’s traffic unit, which instead went to less-qualified officers.

“Township officials, with retaliatory and discriminatory intent, have not promoted plaintiff despite his qualifications,” the complaint states.

The lawsuit alleges retaliation, discrimination, and violations of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, arguing that township leaders failed to intervene even after being alerted to alleged misconduct.

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