A Logan Township police officer is claiming the police department's administration violated his civil rights, discriminated against him because of his race and violated his right to privacy in a civil lawsuit filed last month.

Stanley Boatright, who has been a police officer for Logan Township since 2002, claims that an off-duty motor vehicle accident began a sequence of events in which Police Chief James Schmidt and Captain Robert Leash violated multiple regulations leading to Boatright being demoted and suspended.

On Dec. 27, 2012, Boatright — who was the first African American promoted to the rank of sergeant in Logan Township — was involved in a motor vehicle accident in neighboring Woolwich Township and transported to Crozer Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pennsylvania.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed Dec. 17 in Gloucester County, Schmidt and Leash arrived at the emergency room and received confidential medical information, including blood alcohol level test results. They then called the Woolwich Township police, who dispatched an officer to the hospital with a specimen kit for drawing blood. However, hospital staff would not allow the officer to do so.

"At no time did Plaintiff (Boatright) consent to or authorize the disclosure of any information concerning or relating to his medical condition and medical status, including his blood alcohol content," the suit reads.

"This is just a roller coaster over Sgt. Boatright's civil rights and rights to privacy," said Jacqueline Vigilante, Boatright's attorney.

Boatright was charged with driving while intoxicated and careless driving and a Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office internal affairs investigation was started following the accident.

The DWI charge was dismissed on July 31, 2013 and Boatright was cleared to return to work on Aug. 16, 2013.

However, the suit claims, he was suspended indefinitely with pay pending the outcome of the Internal Affairs investigation.

Boatright was charged with 18 disciplinary infractions on Nov. 14, 2013. These ranged from driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol to disobeying rules and regulations of the Logan Township Police Department.

Boatright was suspended without pay for 60 days and demoted to patrolman with no possibility for promotion for three years on Nov. 17, 2014.

He claims that Caucasian officers in Logan Township have engaged in on- and off-duty misconduct including the misuse of alcohol and prescription medication without being disciplined or suspended.

In 10 counts, Boatright and his attorney claim that the course of events violated his civil rights and his right to privacy, the penalty assessed was too severe and that evidence used against him was unlawfully obtained.

"The disparate treatment was the result of intentional discrimination on the basis of plaintiff's race and constituted a violation of Plaintiff's rights as guaranteed under NJLAD (New Jersey Law Against Discrimination)," the suit reads.

The suit also claims that internal rules and regulations charges are to be filed within 45 days, but in this case they were not filed for nearly a year.

It is requesting compensatory damages, punitive damages, as well as for the defendants to "cease and desist all conduct inconsistent with the NJLAD and NJCRA going forward," and Boatright's reinstatement with both back pay and front pay.

"It's an unfortunate set of circumstances and we hope to get things righted for Mr. Boatright and get him back on the career path he was on before this," Vigilante said.

Logan Township officials refused to comment on the lawsuit, because it is pending litigation.

Rebecca Forand may be reached at rforand@southjerseymedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @RebeccaForand. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.