Assistant Chief Ruel Stephenson, the highest-ranking Jamaican officer in the New York Police Department (NYPD), is facing a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and retaliation from a female subordinate.
The lawsuit, filed last Friday in Manhattan Supreme Court, accuses Stephenson of targeting Lt. Mariela Matos-Leo, a 19-year NYPD veteran, after she rejected his advances.
Matos-Leo, who is stationed at the 24th Precinct—housed in the same building as Manhattan North, which Stephenson commands—claims the alleged harassment began in 2022. She alleges that after she rebuffed Stephenson, he sought to damage her career, publicly belittling her work and attempting to derail her professional progress.
According to the lawsuit, Stephenson told Matos-Leo in a May 2023 meeting that if he had the authority, he would fire her due to her “mediocre” work. She further alleges that his retaliatory actions resulted in lower earnings compared to her male counterparts, costing her as much as $1.7 million in lost pension benefits.
One of the most striking claims in the lawsuit centers around a precinct holiday party held on Dec. 13, 2023, at the Glen Island Harbor Club in New Rochelle. Matos-Leo asserts that Stephenson aggressively encouraged her to attend the event, where he organized a $700 “best dressed” contest—exclusively for female subordinates. She opted not to go, stating in court documents that his persistent invitations made her feel as though she was being pursued as a “conquest.”
Following her absence, Matos-Leo claims that Stephenson’s treatment of her worsened. She says he berated her in meetings, called her incompetent in front of colleagues, and retaliated against her professionally. A sergeant allegedly remarked that this was “how the Chief gets when he is rejected.”
Matos-Leo’s attorney, John Scola, criticized the alleged behavior, stating, “Women in the NYPD should be judged solely on their job performance, not on their willingness to participate in a culture that pressures them to dress provocatively at department events.” He added, “No officer should be subjected to sexual harassment or forced to choose between their dignity and their career advancement.”
This is not Matos-Leo’s first legal battle with the NYPD. In 2019, she filed a lawsuit claiming retaliation after she reported a fellow officer—who was also her boyfriend—for criminal behavior. That case was later settled.
The NYPD has maintained that it does not tolerate sexual harassment and offers multiple channels, including anonymous reporting, for employees to file complaints. The city’s Law Department has stated it will review the lawsuit once served.
Ruel Stephenson, who was born in Clarendon, Jamaica, and migrated to the U.S. at age 10, has had a distinguished career in the NYPD. Starting as a patrol officer in Brooklyn’s 70th Precinct in 1995, he worked his way up the ranks, earning promotions to sergeant, lieutenant, captain, and ultimately assistant chief. When he was appointed borough commander of Manhattan North—the first Jamaican to hold the position—he spoke to The Gleaner about the significance of having someone in leadership who understands and represents the Jamaican community.
Stephenson has not publicly responded to the allegations.
