N.J. town forced Black cop to resign rather than pay his workers’ comp, lawsuit says

A former Berkeley Township police officer has filed suit claiming officials forced him to resign after less than a month on the job rather than pay his workers’ compensation benefits when he was injured.

Ravino Johnson, 25, states in court papers he was hired April 15, 2021 and sustained a work-related injury on May 5, 2021, that temporarily limited his physical capabilities.

At the time of his hire, Johnson was the first Black police officer hired in Berkeley Township in 45 years and the township’s only Black employee, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit alleges Township Administrator John Camera and high-level supervisors in Berkeley Township violated state civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination based on race and through failure to accommodate his doctor’s decision to place him on a leave of absence.

The suit states township officials were required under New Jersey’s anti-discrimination laws to accommodate his disability and provide him with a temporary leave of absence that had been approved by Johnson’s physician.

But township officials did neither, and allegedly told Johnson he should resign and reapply for a police officer position at a later date, states the lawsuit, filed June 22 in Superior Court of Ocean County.

Michael S. Nagurka, an attorney for Berkeley Township, denied the allegations contained in the lawsuit.

“The township will be immediately filing its answer vehemently denying the inflammatory and unsupported allegations made by Mr. Johnson,” Nagurka said in a statement to NJ Advance Media.

“The township looks forward to the opportunity to defend itself, and the township administrator against the completely unproven allegations of a former employee seeking an undeserved windfall from the taxpayers of Berkeley,” Nagurka said in the statement.

The suit alleges Camera told Johnson “he did not want to pay the plaintiff workers’ compensation benefits (and that) he will only be considered for the position of police officer in the future if he resigns.”

Camera allegedly told Johnson that if he didn’t resign he would be terminated. Ravino says in the suit that Camera then asked him to sign a letter of resignation.

“Dear Berkeley Township, I am not interested in the position of police officer at this time but I wish to be considered at another time,” the letter said, according to the suit.

The lawsuit states Johnson signed the letter out of fear he would be retaliated against. After handing over the signed letter, Johnson demanded a copy and called a lawyer, the suit states.

Johnson is seeking reinstatement to his job, monetary damage, along with attorney’s fees and costs to file the lawsuit.

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