A former Lehigh Township police officer recently filed a federal lawsuit alleging the department’s chief sexually harassed her, physically accosted her and retaliated against her over the course of her five-year employment.

An attorney for Jessica Edwards said she was “singled out and persistently disparaged, belittled, sexually objectified and insulted by Police Chief Scott Fogel,” according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court.

“She was physically accosted by him, denied opportunities for professional development and growth, retaliated against for complaining of mistreatment and ultimately placed in such a hostile, toxic and intolerable work environment that she was forced to resign for her own well-being,” Edwards’ attorney, Ryan Corkery of Ansa Assuncao LLP, alleged.

The lawsuit names both Fogel and the Lehigh Township Police Department.

Edwards was hired in February 2018 and, at the time, was its first only Act 120 certified female officer.

“She developed a strong bond with her fellow officers and was seemingly taken under the wing of Chief Fogel,” the complaint states. “After approximately one year, however, Fogel began to display an inappropriate, unprofessional and intense interest in her personal life.”

The complaint alleges Fogel questioned whether Edwards was having a sexual relationship with another officer, made sexualized comments about her social media activity and, in a meeting alone with her, pulled up his shirt to expose to his “stomach, navel, nipples and chest” to her.

Edwards also alleges that during the winter of 2020, Fogel “approached her from behind, gripped her hair and forcefully snapped her head back, pulling her toward the midsection of his body and torso.” A similar incident happened in a Lehigh Township parking garage in December 2020, the complaint states, and a police sergeant made an official report to the township.

The complaint alleges the township “took no meaningful action to investigate the incident” and that Fogel “became emboldened and commenced a campaign of retaliation.”

In April 2022, Edwards filed a complaint against the police department, the township and Fogel with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“For over a half a year, Fogel directed Edwards’ supervising sergeant to withhold her annual reviews, thereby attempting to limit her ability to gather evidence in support of her case,” the complaint alleges.

Edwards began utilizing comp time and sick time March through May 2023, which she said were at the orders of her doctor “due to the severity of her emotional distress and anxiety and health-related issues.” She resigned from the department June 1.

The lawsuit includes multiple counts of sexual harassment as well as battery, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Edwards is seeking compensatory damages, punitive damages, damages for delay and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.