WICHITA, Kansas -- On Monday, the ex-wife of a Wichita firefighter filed a lawsuit against the Wichita police and the fire department.

When Jennifer Duerksen divorced her husband, a Wichita firefighter, she claims he told her his fire department co-workers would never believe her allegations of abuse and they would always be on his side. She dismissed it as an idle threat. Now she says it’s coming true.

"My life has been very scary, very chaotic," said Duerkson. "I don’t believe that all firefighters are bad, or police, but those that do abuse, they do protect each other."

Jennifer says, over the last year, she has been assaulted by her ex-husband, hassled by firefighters and neglected by law enforcement. Now she has filed a lawsuit against the city of Wichita, two fire department chiefs and her ex-husband, Chad Duerksen. Among the lawsuit complaints are denied equal protection under the law and harassment by members of the Wichita police and fire departments.

"It’s embarrassing. The fire department and the police, completely to me, defamed my character."

Jennifer wrote a complaint last July to Wichita Fire Chief Larry Garcia and Wichita Police Chief Norman Williams. She said they never responded.

We spoke with Garcia who declined to go on camera. But he said Jennifer’s story is simply a case of a bad divorce. Jennifer claims it’s much more.

"He tries to humiliate me. I divorced him and he’s still trying to humiliate me this very day."

Jennifer claims, on April 20th of last year, Wichita police officers did nothing when her ex-husband showed up at her home in violation of his restraining order. A day later, Jennifer called 911 during a fight with her ex. Police took photos then arrested Chad and Jennifer for domestic violence. Firefighters showed up as well but records show dispatchers never called a fire truck to the scene.

"Why do you have six police officers around here and the fire department? They are mingling around the yard as if it were a party around Chad," said Jennifer.

Chief Garcia admits it was bad judgment for firefighters to be there but Jennifer says its just one of many examples of being hassled by her ex-husband’s co-workers.

Duerksen claims firefighters were driving by her boyfriend’s house on October 26, "probably to see if my car was there since I was off work that day."

Her boyfriend’s father snapped photos. Another check with dispatch shows no emergency calls were made to that street that month. Chief Garcia says it could have been firefighters on patrol.

"To me that’s stalking, trying to find my vehicle," said Jennifer.

Jennifer says, in between these incidents, there has been an ongoing barrage of phone calls from her ex and intimidation by certain firefighters.

"They, in public places, would chant out Chad’s name."

Her attorney wrote a letter to Wichita City Attorney Gary Rubenstorf detailing her complaints. He responded by letter, saying Jennifer was "an active participant" in their April 21st fight and "any complaint regarding the actions or inactions of a Wichita Fire Department employee may be directed to Chief Garcia". Jennifer feels a lawsuit is her only hope for action.

"Police and fire are like a fraternity. Even in the face of domestic violence they support one another," said Jennifer.

Jennifer claims, in the latest incident of harassment about two weeks ago, she took a photo of a fire truck while driving on Kellogg. She says it sped up, slowed down and changed lanes whenever she did.

We left massages at the office of Chief Norman Williams, as well as the city attorney. Our calls were not returned.