Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Haddon Twp. officer says chief made advances to him

A Haddon Township police officer is suing Chief Mark Cavallo and the township, alleging that he is being terminated for refusing to give in to sexual advances from Cavallo.

Jason DeMent is seeking reinstatement and back pay after being suspended in June, his lawyer said. (Courtesy Zachary R. Wall)
Jason DeMent is seeking reinstatement and back pay after being suspended in June, his lawyer said. (Courtesy Zachary R. Wall)Read more

A Haddon Township police officer is suing Chief Mark Cavallo and the township, alleging that he is being terminated for refusing to give in to sexual advances from Cavallo.

The suit, filed Aug. 10 in U.S. District Court, said that among other advances, Cavallo referred to Officer Jason DeMent as "baby" and stroked his face.

DeMent says in the suit that when he tried to request desk duty because of a rare medical condition, Cavallo rejected it. The suit alleges that Cavallo did so partly because DeMent did not play along with his advances.

The township filed a motion to dismiss the case Wednesday.

"Mr. DeMent's allegations are without merit, and both the township and Chief Cavallo intend to defend this matter vigorously," Eric Riso, the township's solicitor, said Friday.

Cavallo did not return a call for comment.

Riso said that DeMent was on leave and receiving compensation under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Zachary R. Wall, DeMent's attorney, said the officer was suspended without pay. DeMent is seeking reinstatement and back pay for the time he has been suspended, Wall said.

"It's a job that he wants to go back to," Wall said. "And he had plans on finishing his career there. So it has had a devastating effect on him and his family."

DeMent, 36, who lives in the township, has worked for the department since 2004. DeMent alleges that he was suspended June 12, the day he informed the township he had been diagnosed with Stargardt disease, which causes vision loss, according to the suit. DeMent said Cavallo denied his request to be put on light duty.

The suit lists DeMent's unwillingness to engage in Cavallo's alleged sexual advances as a "motivating factor" in the decision.

On Aug. 5, after telling the township he planned to hire an attorney, DeMent was told he would be terminated in late October, according to the complaint.

Wall said Cavallo had been sexually harassing DeMent for several months this year. Wall declined to say whether the alleged harassment also happened at other times during DeMent's tenure.

Cavallo, the suit said, ran his hand along DeMent's cheek, called DeMent "cute," and asked if the officer wanted to run away with him. Once, the suit said, Cavallo asked DeMent, "Do you want to lock the door and pull the blinds down, baby?"

In a statement provided by Wall on Friday, DeMent did not mention the alleged harassment but said, "I have pleaded for the township and the police chief to assist me in this extremely difficult time and requested that I may be approved for light duty so that I could continue to work and support my wife and daughters."

Wall said DeMent did not feel comfortable answering questions about the case Friday.

856-779-3829@borenmc