The New York Police Department (NYPD) has settled a discrimination lawsuit from three former detectives.
The New York Daily News reports the NYPD must pay $700K to retired detectives Jon McCollum, Roland Stephens and the family of Theodore Coleman, who is deceased. The trio filed the lawsuit against the department in 2017 and received the ruling on April 3.
Intelligence chief Thomas Galati and now-retired Deputy Commissioner David Cohen were accused of denying the detectives promotions due to their race. The suit claims promotions were given to underqualified white officers.
“In spite of their proven track records of achievement and strong recommendations from their direct supervisors, they were repeatedly passed up for promotion due to their race,” read court documents.
“More than one supervisor who recommended them said that if they had been white then they would have been promoted.”
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An anonymous source told the New York Daily News that Galati is guilty of favoritism.
“They all worked for Galati, who promoted everyone else except them because they weren’t ‘friends of Galati,'” the person said.
“If you’re not a ‘friend of Galati’s,’ he doesn’t take care of you.”
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigated and ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in 2016, reports SI Live.
Despite the EEOC findings, the NYPD denied any wrongdoing.
“The Intelligence Bureau is made up of a diverse group of men and women from all different ethnic and operational backgrounds,” said NYPD spokeswoman Sgt. Jessica McRorie.
"Its members speak different languages, have an array of skill sets, range in tenure within the Department and the Bureau, and contribute to the Bureau’s success in protecting a similarly diverse City from the threat of terror."
Attorney Elizabeth Saylor said the detectives were satisfied with the settlement.
“The detectives are happy with the result which finally recognized their years of exemplary service at the NYPD,” Saylor said. “They are disappointed that the NYPD still refuses to reform its secret, standard-less promotions process.”
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