Bloomfield, NJ, Firefighter Fired after Tossing Noose at Black Colleague

Walter Coffey, a Bloomfield firefighter who was charged in Essex County with bias and intimidation after tossing a noose at a Black colleague, was officially terminated from his role with the department, officials said.

“Though I am limited by New Jersey law regarding details of personnel matters, with reference to the matter of the Bloomfield Fire Department, I can now confirm that the firefighter involved in the November 2023 incident is no longer employed by the Township of Bloomfield,” Bloomfield mayor Jenny Mundell said in a social media post Friday morning.

Payroll records show that Coffey’s last paycheck from Bloomfield was on Dec. 8, 2023. It’s unclear how his pension will be impacted.

Coffey’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bloomfield started investigating after Coffey was reported for tying a noose and tossing it at a Black colleague, Patrick Thomas.

Thomas later filed a $25 million federal discrimination against the city in November.

“Bloomfield will not tolerate racism in any form, and our community deserves a workplace and a local government that reflects those values,” Mundell told NJ Advance Media.

“I know how deeply this incident has affected many of our residents, and I want them to know that I hear their concerns,” she added. “Addressing racism requires ongoing commitment, and my administration remains focused on building systems that promote safety, respect, and accountability for everyone who lives and works here.”

Mundell said in her statement that the city is working on implementing an anonymous reporting system to report misconduct within city departments.

“I hear the community’s concerns, and I understand the pain and frustration this has caused,” Mundell said. “But rooting out racism takes more than a single action, it is continuous work, and I am committed to doing that work every day.”

Coffey was accused of asking Thomas if he saw a noose on an upstairs table in a firehouse on Nov. 8, 2023, according to the complaint.

Thomas asked why he would want to see that and asked if Coffey knew who was responsible. Coffey smirked and replied that he didn’t know, according to the complaint.

As another training exercise on Nov. 16, 2023, was ending, Coffey was accused of tying a hangman’s noose, tossing it at Thomas and asking him to identify the type of knot it was, according to the complaint.

Thomas responded that he knew exactly what the knot was and asked Coffey if he thought it was funny, according to the complaint. Coffey continued laughing, according to the complaint.

Attorneys for Thomas said the Nov. 16, 2023, incident happened in front of other firefighters and supervisors.

Coffey also openly used the n-word around other Black colleagues and was never disciplined, according to the complaint.

Coffey’s actions were briefly investigated by Bloomfield officials before being turned over to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, according to the complaint.

Bloomfield’s municipal attorney, Khalifah L. Shabazz, said in a statement Monday, that the township’s internal investigation was paused when the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office took over the case, investigating it as a possible hate crime.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office charged Coffey with fourth-degree harassment and intimidation on Dec. 14, 2023, court records show.

Coffey was indicted in March 2024 and pleaded not guilty, according to court records. He has been placed in a pre-trial intervention program and has been on unpaid leave with the Bloomfield Fire Department since he was charged in November 2023.

Coffey did not have an attorney listed in federal court documents on Monday.

Bloomfield officials resumed their internal investigation in 2025 after Coffey’s criminal proceedings closed, Shabazz said.

“The township of Bloomfield takes seriously its responsibility to ensure a safe and respectful workplace for all employees,” Bloomfield Mayor Jenny Mundell said in a statement on Nov. 18. “There is absolutely no place for racist conduct or discrimination of any kind in the township or in any workplace in our community, and such behavior will be met with swift accountability.”

Mundell said that Coffey’s racial harassment was immediately reported to law enforcement in November 2023 and officials moved to terminate his employment with the fire department.

“It was a despicable act what Coffey did because the noose is a symbol of racial terrorism,” Larry Hamm, of People’s Organization for Progress, said in November during a press conference announcing the federal lawsuit filed by Thomas.

Hamm also said that the Fire Chief, Lou Venezia, did not act swiftly enough and that the mayor at the time, Michael Venezia, must be held accountable.

“I can’t imagine the kind of trauma Thomas and his family have had to endure as a result of this incident,” Hamm added.

The New Jersey Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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