Bloomfield police captain sues over promotion vote

A Bloomfield police captain says he should have been chief, and is claiming in court that a township conspiracy is getting in his way.

Last year, Capt. Christopher Goul scored the highest in Bloomfield on the state Civil Service Commission test, but the captain who came in second place, Mark Leonard, was promoted to chief in a 4-3 council vote in January.

"The number one ranking officer in Bloomfield hasn't been bypassed in about 100 years," said Goul's Caldwell-based lawyer Patrick Toscano at a news conference yesterday. "We thought that was strange."

On Friday, Goul and a supporter, Detective John Sierchio, filed a complaint in U.S. District Court asking for $750,000 in damages from Bloomfield township, and for Leonard's removal.

The lawsuit claims that a "civil conspiracy" strong-armed Goul from the position, and that Leonard met privately with some unnamed council members before the promotion vote in violation of the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act.

"I feel it was morally wrong, and an unethical process where (Leonard) was decided on before the promotional process took place," Goul said at the conference.

The lawsuit also claims that Leonard has retaliated against Goul for speaking out against the promotion. On Oct. 4, Leonard reassigned Goul from a four-year post as captain of the criminal investigation unit to commanding a platoon, which he views as retribution.

"This is a little bit humiliating," Goul said. "I felt I did a great job, and now to be treated like this is mind-boggling."

Leonard could not be reached after repeated phone calls.

Halley Bondy is a reporter with the New Jersey Local News Service. She may be reached at (908) 243-6211.