In an unusual case of “he said, he said,” a former Richmond, California, police officer has filed a lawsuit against the openly gay chief of police claiming sexual harassment. The former officer claims that he was fired back in 2013 after he accused the police chief of making sexual advances against him that were unwanted.
Although the man had been working for the Richmond Police Department since 2005, the lawsuit itself stems from an alleged incident that occurred after the former officer was assigned to be the police chief’s bodyguard. According to court documents, the former officer was walking his dog one evening when he was approached by the police chief who allegedly touched him in an inappropriate and sexual manner.
The former officer states in the complaint that he asked the police chief to stop, then later told his supervising lieutenant about what had occurred. He further states that his complaint led to a case of retaliation by the police chief that eventually brought about his termination from the department.
Meanwhile, the police chief has reportedly said that the man was actually terminated because of multiple serious acts of misconduct, which allegedly included weapons-related violations and domestic violence. He states that the accusation is a low blow brought on by the fact that he is gay and that the man knew he would be considered “vulnerable” to this form of accusations.
The plaintiff has asked for a jury trial and unspecified damages. The case remains ongoing.
Individuals who believe that they are the victims of sexual harassment may be entitled to compensation for damages and could potentially benefit from learning more about their legal rights.
Source: Inforum, “Former Fargo police chief sued for sexual harassment,” Adrian Glass-Moore, April. 07, 2015
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