the staff of the Ridgewood blog
NEWARK, NJ — A high-ranking detective has pulled back the curtain on what her legal team calls a “pervasive pattern of hostility” within NJ Transit.
Detective Safiya Daniels, a 23-year veteran of the NJ Transit Police Department, has filed a bombshell lawsuit in Essex County Superior Court. The suit names the agency and recently retired Lieutenant John Sullivan, alleging a toxic cocktail of racism, sexism, and calculated career sabotage.
This isn’t Sullivan’s first time in the legal spotlight—he has been the subject of three separate legal actions this year alone.
The Allegations: Sabotage and “Violent” Assignments
Detective Daniels, who was promoted to her current rank in February 2022, claims the harassment began the moment she fell under Sullivan’s supervision. According to the filing, the retaliation included:
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Dangerous Assignments: Sending Daniels into violent neighborhoods without a partner.
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Engineered Failure: Assigning heavy caseloads while she was on vacation to create a false record of neglect.
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Weaponized Internal Affairs: Filing three “Internal Affairs” actions against her to trigger the Attorney General’s early warning intervention system.
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Lack of Resources: Denying her access to essential surveillance systems and proper mentorship provided to her male peers.
When Daniels filed a formal complaint with NJ Transit’s Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), she alleges the behavior only worsened, spiraling into “constant retaliation.”
A $20 Million Legacy of Settlements
Perhaps the most staggering aspect of this case is the history. Detective Daniels was part of the group that won a $5.8 million settlement in 2012 over similar claims of systemic racism.
Despite that massive payout, her new lawsuit argues that “nothing has changed.” Statistics from the past decade paint a troubling picture of taxpayer-funded settlements at the agency:
NJ Transit’s Settlement History at a Glance
| Year | Settlement Amount | Allegations |
| 2012 | $5.8 Million | Racism/Discrimination (10 Officers) |
| 2016 | $3.65 Million | Wage Disparity/Racist Comments (7 Employees) |
| 2022 | $3.2 Million | Retaliation following 2017 lawsuit (Wilson & Rivera) |
| 2022 | $2.2 Million | Hostile work environment/Maternity leave issues |
| 2025 | $90,000 | Recent settlement involving Lt. John Sullivan (Zavistoski) |
Legal experts estimate NJ Transit has paid over $20 million to resolve discrimination and retaliation claims in recent years, with $7.8 million spent in just the last six years across eight specific cases.
The “Retirement” Escape
The lawsuit highlights a controversial trend: accused supervisors retiring with full benefits while investigations are ongoing. Lieutenant Sullivan retired on May 1, 2025, just three days after NJ Transit signed a $90,000 settlement with another employee he allegedly harassed. Sullivan walked away with an estimated $92,000 annual pension.
Attorney Christopher D’Alessandro, representing several plaintiffs, stated: “The sheer volume of discrimination-related litigation should alert NJ lawmakers to ongoing, systemic problems at NJ Transit.”
Leadership Responds: Is Change Coming?
NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri, who has led the agency for nearly a year, declined to comment on specific cases but emphasized that “decisive action” is being taken to create a safe work environment.
Kolluri noted that the agency’s general counsel will now utilize outside counsel for specific complaints to ensure objectivity—a move prompted by the recent suspension of the Chief of Human Resources over separate ethics violations.
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Fire the chief you morons