āļøš° ASBURY PARK AGREES TO $1.185 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH FORMER POLICE OFFICER š
Asbury Park will pay $1.185 million to former police officer Ahmed Lawson to settle a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and retaliation. The city denied all wrongdoing, stating they resolved the case for economic reasons rather than going to trial.
š ASBURY PARK, NJ ā The City of Asbury Park has agreed to pay $1.185 million to settle a lawsuit brought by former police officer Ahmed Lawson, who alleged racial discrimination and retaliation within the city's police department.
The settlement was reached on June 15, 2026, before the case was scheduled to go to trial. According to the settlement agreement, the payment is being made in four installments of $296,250, with the agreement stating that the amount includes attorneys' fees and costs.
āļø WHAT THE LAWSUIT ALLEGED
Lawson filed the lawsuit in 2022. According to court filings, he alleged that he heard then-Captain John Crescio use a racial slur during a police radio transmission while Lawson was working an outside road detail.
Lawson said he reported what he believed he heard to Internal Affairs and subsequently faced retaliation, including being denied a promotion to sergeant. His lawsuit also contained broader allegations concerning racial discrimination within the department.
Crescio denied using the slur. In deposition testimony described in the legal filings, Crescio said his police radio had accidentally transmitted while he was having a telephone conversation about deer hunting. Crescio also filed an Internal Affairs complaint concerning Lawson and other officers involved in the allegations.
šļø CITY DENIES WRONGDOING
The City of Asbury Park denied Lawson's allegations and disputed that he was discriminated against because of his race. The city also pointed to minority officers and officers of color who had been promoted to higher-ranking positions within the department.
Importantly, the settlement does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing or liability by the city or its officials. The agreement states that the case was resolved for economic reasons rather than through a trial determining the allegations.
The case had been scheduled for trial in June 2026 but was marked "Settled While Scheduled for Trial" before proceedings began.
š® LAWSON'S RETIREMENT
Lawson retired from the Asbury Park Police Department in July 2024 after approximately 20 years with the department. According to records cited by Transparency NJ, he is receiving a special pension allowance of approximately $5,259 per month.
š° Garden State News Network Informing & Connecting New Jersey.