Jury Awards Ex-Trenton Police Chief $4.7 Million
A New Jersey jury ruled in favor of Sheilah Coley in her wrongful termination lawsuit against the city.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in People
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A New Jersey jury awarded former Trenton Police Director Sheilah Coley $4,714,000 in her wrongful termination lawsuit. Coley was fired by Mayor W. Reed Gusciora in 2021 after she filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging discrimination.
Why it matters
The verdict addresses allegations that Coley was pressured to restore White officers removed for violations and to squash internal affairs probes into officers caught lying on residency applications. For Trenton residents, the case bears on accountability within the city's police leadership.
The jury awarded $4,714,000, including $714,000 in back pay and $2,000,000 each in emotional and punitive damages. The source does not report whether the city will appeal or how the award will be paid.
The players
Sheilah Coley
Coley led the Trenton Police Department as its first Black woman director before her 2021 firing, and her lawsuit led to the jury award.
W. Reed Gusciora
Gusciora is the mayor of Trenton who hired Coley in 2019 and fired her in 2021.
The details
Coley, the first Black woman to lead the Trenton Police Department, was hired by Gusciora in 2019 and fired in 2021 after scandals and police union pressure. She filed a whistleblower lawsuit in 2022 alleging she endured racist and sexist discrimination and was fired for refusing to restore White cops removed for violations of state laws and department regulations.
Timeline
2019: Gusciora hired Coley as Trenton police director.
2021: Gusciora fired Coley.
2022: Coley filed her whistleblower lawsuit against Trenton.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: The jury awarded Coley $4,714,000.
Legal Context
The verdict follows Coley's 2022 whistleblower suit against Trenton, which alleged she was fired for refusing to restore White officers removed for violations of state law and department rules. The jury's award of $4,714,000 closes that case at the trial level for the city and its mayor.
For Trenton residents, the verdict highlights the financial and legal consequences the city faces when its police leadership is challenged in court. The source does not indicate any change to city services, policing policy, or taxes resulting from the award.
The takeaway
The jury's verdict puts a price on the claims Coley made about discrimination and political pressure inside the Trenton Police Department. Readers following city governance can watch whether the city appeals or responds to the award.
Further reading
Explore more on People to see other profiles of leaders and figures shaping Trenton's public life.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Trentonian.
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