Sergio Bichao

@sbichao

PISCATAWAY – A township police officer says she was punished for reporting and resisting sexual overtures by two superior officers, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court.

Tracy Abode, who was hired March 2010 when she was 25, claims that the department did little or nothing after she and others reported the alleged sexual harassment.

The lawsuit, filed last month in U.S. District Court of New Jersey, says Sgt. Shawn Rapach "constantly harassed plaintiff and made inappropriate sexual advances," and, in November 2010, kissed her while in a police vehicle.

Abode also accuses Sgt. Stephen Prohaska of asking her to join him in the restroom at a police dinner in December 2010 at The Spain Inn. Abode said she declined and after she "refused to engage in sexual relations with Sgt. Prohaska, he began to retaliate against plaintiff by harassing, intimidating and disciplining plaintiff unjustifiably."

Abode says she initially went along with Rapach's advances and entered into a romantic relationship with him, but only because she was "new to the job, felt extremely pressured and was concerned about losing her job as a police officer."

In January 2012 she broke off the relationship, but Rapach — who is described as a married man who asked to keep their affair a secret — continued to pursue her, the lawsuit says, and retaliated when she began dating another Piscataway police officer, whom she later married.

The lawsuit says Rapach sent her harassing text messages and spread rumors. Rapach allegedly sent her boyfriend "disturbing text messages."

When she was dating her future husband, Rapach would tell others, "Well, I was in her bed first," the complaint says.

Rapach and Prohaska could not be reached for comment Thursday, and messages to the police chief's assistant and the township spokeswoman were not returned Thursday.

Despite informing superiors about this behavior, Abode said she was placed back under Rapach's supervision. The lawsuit says other officers, including her husband, complained about Rapach's treatment of her because, as they reportedly said, he "could not get over" her. The department's internal affairs unit never interviewed Abode for her side of the story, she claims.

The lawsuit says she was so troubled by the hostile work environment and a veiled threat by Rapach against her and her husband that she slept with a gun under her pillow.

She accuses Capt. Kenneth Blair of invading her privacy by interrogating her about whether she was having an affair with Rapach and screaming: "You are having an affair, yes you are." Abode said she felt "uncomfortable, intimidated."

Earlier this year, she was suspended without pay for three months and required to turn in her personal weapons even though she was not the subject of a domestic violence complaint or deemed by a professional to be a danger to herself or others, the court document claims.

The nine-count lawsuit seeks lost wages and unspecified damages under several state and federal laws, including the gender discrimination, hostile work environment and retaliation provisions of the state Law Against Discrimination and the 14th Amendment.

Abode's attorney, Leslie A. Parikh of Gebhardt & Kiefer, did not return several requests for comment.

Also named as defendants in the lawsuit are the municipality, Chief Richard Ivone and supervisors Sgt. Michelle Chennells, Lt. Thomas Mosier, Sgt. Constance Crea and Lt. Robert Garnecki.

Staff Writer Sergio Bichao: 908-243-6615; sbichao@mycentraljersey.com