HACKENSACK - A police sergeant has filed a civil rights lawsuit that claims the city and police department did nothing to protect her from an abusive spouse who was also an officer, and that one former police director told her "Women can't be police officers" during a visit to her home.

Sgt. Sara Malvasia, 41, claims in court papers that the city and Hackensack police department created a state of danger and emotional distress for her when husband attacked her physically and verbally - sometimes in front of other police officers, according to a federal lawsuit filed April 12.

Malvasia is alleging gender discrimination and retaliation.

She is suing Hackensack, City Manager Theodore Ehrenburg, former City Manager David Troast, former Police Director Michael Mordaga, Capt. Frank Aquila and supervising Police Officers Timothy Lloyd and James Prise.

"They did nothing to protect her," attorney Mark Frost said in an interview Tuesday. "The New Jersey Attorney General's guidelines are clear. [City officials] are to take immediate action against the officer when domestic violence is reported. They took no action."

The city's attorney, Steve Kleinman, was not immediately available to comment Tuesday.

Malvasia claims her husband Niles, 39, developed post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing a shooting related to his duties as a Hackensack police officer. He went on psychiatric leave in November 2015.

Despite treatment, he continued to act erratically and violently, often directing his anger toward his wife, according to the suit.

"He further suffered from paranoia, anger and sleep deprivation," the suit states.

The suit claims Niles Malvasia called his wife repeatedly at work, accused her of having an affair, threatened her in front of their co-workers, stole her phone and locked her in a closet.

The suit also claims Niles Malvasia threw a 70-inch television into a wall and berated his wife for hours at night, keeping her from sleeping.

Sara Malvasia claims that in January 2016 she reported her husband's conduct to Michael Mordaga, who was then the civilian police director. In February 2016, she told supervising Officer Timothy Lloyd about her husband's behavior, the suit states.

In April 2016, Niles Malvasia restrained his wife, preventing her from going to work or leaving the house, the suit states.

Sara Malvasia then called another Hackensack police officer, who told Mordaga what was going on, the suit states.

Mordaga then went to the Malvasia home, according to the suit.

"However, instead of arresting Niles Malvasia, disciplining him or having him committed on an emergency basis, Mordaga blamed plaintiff because she was a woman, stating 'There's always female s--- going on. That's why women can't be police officers.'"

Mordaga did not immediately return a call seeking comment on Tuesday.

Later in April 2016, Sara Malvasia claims she attempted to commit suicide by swallowing 30 to 40 Valium pills. She later recovered and blamed the attempt on her husband's "continued abuse and threats" and "the failure of the HPD to take appropriate action."

After she was released from a hospital, Sara Malvasia underwent a fitness-for-duty evaluation and was then suspended and now faces termination as a result of the evaluation, Frost said.

Niles Malvasia, who was eventually banned from the Hackensack Police Department, has applied for and is awaiting Social Security/Disability payments based on his PTSD, Frost said.

The couple is currently in therapy and attempting to reconcile, the attorney said.

Sara Malvasia alleges city officials violated her constitutional rights by retaliating against her when she spoke out about her husband. She claims gender discrimination and alleges she suffered emotional distress, humiliation, loss of pleasure and enjoyment of life as a result of the city's alleged failure to protect her.

The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages in excess of $100,000.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.