News & Notes: Town to pay for Dudeck’s legal fees

The town of Princeton announced Thursday that it will pay for the legal defense of Former Princeton police chief David Dudeck, against whom a suit has been filed by seven police officers over numerous allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination throughout his tenure as Chief of the Borough department and subsequently of the consolidated police department, The Princeton Packet reported.

Town attorney Edwin W. Schmierer explained in an interview with the Packet that the town’s insurance company would cover Dudeck’s legal fees because the alleged sexual harassment and discriminatory behavior occurred while Dudeck was employed by the municipality.

Dudeck left the office on Feb. 26 and in April received a separation agreement with the town that set the terms for his retirement effective Oct. 1 after facing allegations of administrative conduct. Dudeck spent much of the year on paid medical leave and retired on Sept. 1, one month earlier than originally stipulated by the agreement.

A publicly-available civil action complaint filed against Dudeck by the seven police officers alleged that the former police chief had engaged in “an egregious and continuing pattern of behavior of gender discrimination, sexual orientation discrimination, disability and sexual harassment” against female, gay, disabled and heterosexual officers.

The complaint included detailed of offensive language and suggestive gestures that Dudeck allegedly used in front the seven officers who are party to the law suit.

According to the complaint, the plaintiffs said they would seek punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and compensatory damages for emotional distress, pain and suffering.