N.J. Firefighter Promoted After Harassment Case

The town council of Secaucus in northern New Jersey voted Tuesday to promote an ex-firefighter who harassed a gay couple to superintendent of the public works department.

Charles Snyder Sr. is one of three volunteer firefighters who resigned as the result of a civil lawsuit brought by Peter deVries and Timothy Carter. The couple said that the firefighters taunted them and threw rocks at their home in 2004 after they complained about a loud party at the firehouse. Carter and DeVries were awarded $2.84 million in damages, and the town paid $2 million in legal fees.

According to The Jersey Journal, the promotion took many by surprise. Protesters led by Garden State Equality appeared at the meeting to oppose what they were told would be the reinstatement of the three firefighters. Although the reinstatement did not happen, they were not notified of the promotion.

The council voted 6 to 1 for the promotion.

According to the Journal, town administrator David Drumeler said that Snyder was the most qualified of the three candidates interviewed for the public works position.