Freeport deputy police chief sues village over demotion

A Freeport police official demoted this year from the department's No. 3 post sued the village Wednesday, claiming village officials discriminated against her because she is a white female.

The lawsuit, filed in Central Islip federal court, said 24-year veteran Debbie Zagaja was passed over for promotion and demoted from deputy chief to lieutenant in March because of Mayor Andrew Hardwick's "racist and bigoted agenda."

To replace Zagaja, the only employee on the force with senior-level management experience, Hardwick hand-picked a Hispanic male who was the department's most junior lieutenant, the suit said.

Zagaja, 47, of Merrick, said news of the demotion came days after she requested a separate locker room for women supervisors, which male supervisors already had.

Shortly after that, the complaint states, village attorney Howard Colton told Zagaja that " 'right, wrong, or indifferent,' the Mayor would be replacing key leadership posts with 'his people.' "

" 'His people' appear to be minorities and/or men, or a combination, and unfortunately that's not Debbie," said her attorney, Sara Kane of Garden City, adding Zagaja's performance never was questioned.

Hardwick did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. Colton referred calls to a Mineola firm that represents the village. Peter Bee, an attorney with the firm, declined to comment.

The village board was not consulted on the decision not to renew Zagaja's contract, village trustee Bill White said.

"Debbie Zagaja has had a stellar career with the Freeport Police Department and in my opinion did a superb job during her tenure as deputy chief," said White, who declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims Zagaja's case is part of a pattern of reverse discrimination established by Hardwick since he took office in April 2009.

The complaint cites the replacement of a white female tax assessor with a black male, and the rehiring of the woman as a consultant to do work he couldn't perform.

The complaint said the village also sought to broaden the pool of candidates for police chief to include minorities in part to avoid appointing Zagaja to the post, expected to become vacant later this year.

Since Zagaja's demotion, she's been asked to continue performing duties of someone above her rank, she said. "I don't look at other police officers as male, female, black, white," she said. "I look at us as all blue, because you put on that uniform to serve."