WAYNE, N.J. — A police officer in Wayne, New Jersey, has filed a lawsuit against the department alleging the police chief and other officials sent him to in-patient rehabilitation for a reported gambling addiction when an anonymous caller complained he played scratch-off lottery tickets while in uniform.
In the wide-ranging suit alleging years of corruption within the department, Corporal Rick Vanderclock claims the caller told his supervisors that Vanderclock "was gambling while on duty by and through his purchase of scratch-off lottery tickets."
In May 2018, Wayne Police Chief James Clarke ordered Vanderclock to attend a 30-day in-patient gambling rehabilitation program at his own expense in Florida or face the loss of his job, according to the lawsuit, filed July 10 in Passaic County Superior Court.
The suit names Wayne Township, Clarke and other officials as defendants. Clarke and other officials were not immediately available to comment on the lawsuit Wednesday.
Vanderclock said that while he was in rehab, his personal belongings, including medication, were taken from him, he was strip searched, monitored while he slept and subjected to "neurological testing with electrical shocks applied to (his) head."
The treatment was "punitive, harassing, humiliating and discriminatory because he did not and does not have a gambling problem," attorney Ralph P. Ferrara wrote in the suit.
Ferrara claims in court papers that Vanderclock's troubles began in 2017 when he and other members of PBA Local 136 voted that they had no confidence in the police chief's ability to lead the department.
Vanderclock was also disliked by the chief because he had openly supported fellow Officer Erik Ferschman, who was fired for taking an unauthorized meal break in 2015, Ferrara wrote in the suit. Ferschman was later reinstated to his job after taking his case to court.
The suit acknowledges that Vanderclock, an officer in the township since 2003, bought scratch-off lottery tickets with other police officers long before he was sent to gambling rehab. While the Wayne Police Department's policies prohibit illegal gambling, they do not prohibit legal gambling, the suit states.
"Scratch-off lottery tickets are legal in, and sanctioned by, the State of New Jersey," the suit states. "Legally purchasing scratch-off lottery tickets while on duty is not prohibited (by the department)."
The suit calls Vanderclock's treatment for a gambling addiction "useless," and claims supervisors unlawfully suspended him for 20 shifts of 12-hours each, refused to allow him to see his personnel file, ridiculed and punished him when he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after watching a man burn to death after a traffic crash.
Vanderclock alleges false imprisonment, claiming superiors assigned him to light duty after the PTSD diagnosis and confined to a small room for days on end.
The complaint alleges racketeering for suspending him without pay, discrimination, harassment, negligence, retaliation, creating a hostile work environment and emotional distress. The suit also alleges violations of the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act.
Vanderclock is seeking unspecified punitive and compensatory damages, along with a jury trial.
Totally unfair. That’s what happens when you envied for your washboard abs, workout & have an exemplary work ethic. Perhaps playing scratchers helps Rick in the healing process. Hit them hard Rick, make them squeal, make them pay!
He deserves to be punished! Just like this is animal abuse!
sarc/off for anyone who doesn't "gettit"
Bet the chief didn't give the same treatment to the donut addicts.
This is what happens to officers when you have a Power hungry chief like this Guy. I am from those neck of the woods. The Chief, Clarke, was a power hungry patrolman also.
He has already had a lawsuit against him which cost the city a lot of money, and I'm sure this will cost the city even more. Just in my opinion, he's not worthy of being a cop, and after this, he may have met his demise.
This legal lawsuit is how lawyers earn a good reputation. They help us stand up for our rights.
Plus when we elect good politicians.
I hope Vanderclock wins in Court. This may be settled in mediation.
How is this in violation of his duties? I have seen police officers buy food and a lottery ticket at 7-11. This guy is going to win big, especially since he was not officially diagnosed with an addiction.
From the OP;
The corporal further alleges he was sent hundreds of miles away to a rehab facility for gambling addicts after an anonymous tipster allegedly called the department and said he was doing scratch-off lottery tickets while on duty.
I'm really wondering about the 'anonymous tipster'.
Real?
No such person?
Friend of the Chief?
Monkey Boo has better luck than I do.
This makes my blood boil. Hope that Clarke gets fired, but we all know the drill. Gets fired and gets his full pension.
Vanderclock is nearing retirement age. Hope he wins big time, re-instated and does his twenty and cyanora. For him to have witnessed something so horrible is beyond horrible. Also ticks me off non-medical folks think they know more than Dr's do. I'm confident he's got a great team of Attorneys on his side and even after their slice of the cake, he'll be quite comfortable.
Rick, Rick, this is Chief Clarke,l am out of uniform. We need to talk about this lawsuit- where are you? Rick, show yourself!
All it takes is one religious nut job seeing you buy lottery tickets.
We have 2 people like that in my office. Whenever one of them sees people having a short hallway chat about buying a pb ticket, she stops and says "what?" We all say we were speaking to the other person and she walks away. Yet, she is rarely working.
Having been there and done that for over 30 years, I can tell you that it is written into the departmental SOP that officers are forbidden from playing lottery games while on duty. I got ratted out once by by a vindictive patrol officer that refused to follow instructions from a supervisor in regard to a particular case. Cost me 5 days suspension with no pay (which was actually lenient according to guidelines), but she got fired for her tactics of insubordination against a supervisor, Lol