Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer Blog

Los Angeles Downtown News is reporting that several lawsuits alleging both racism and sexual harassment at the Los Angeles Police Department have caused a shakeup in personnel.

Allegations of sexual harassment are nothing new at the police department, unfortunately. Our Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers have chronicled on our blog the plight of department officials, who have done little to change the atmosphere for officers and staff.

And that's what these types of cases come down to -- atmosphere. If a work environment allows this type of behavior and employees aren't willing to step up and challenge it, the problem will persist. So, while it is incumbent upon employers to do the right thing, often employees are the ones who must create the change by standing up against the issue.

According to the lawsuit, staff members from the department's Central Division have been named in several lawsuits alleging both racial and sexual harassment. Officers allege that command staff tolerate the harassment and have been unwilling to stop it.

Four officers and two sergeants have been transferred and were downgraded in rank, the article states. The city is now fighting three lawsuits filed by officers in the division's Community Relations Department.

The lawsuits allege that the department allowed for supervisors to make racial and sexually motivated remarks and pranks that became embedded in the culture of the office. Some examples cited by the article:

• A sergeant presenting a black officer with a cake topped with a slice of watermelon and a piece of fried chicken


• The same sergeant sending racially sensitive text messages about an officer who is of Mexican descent


• The sergeant removing one officer from an overtime detail and putting his wife, another officer, in that spot

The officers all allege they brought their concerns and examples to a captain who was in charge of the sergeant, though he refused to mete out discipline. LAPD officials deny any wrongdoing and say the department's atmosphere is full of jokes and pranks that aren't intended to be malicious.

But the officers allege not only were they subjected to the harassment and racial comments, but they were transferred to less-than-desirable locations after complaining about their treatment. They believe they were retaliated against for speaking out about the behavior of their superiors.

This, too, isn't uncommon. When people bring up complaints about poor treatment and sexual harassment, their employers sometimes will attempt to retaliate against them by treating them poorly or even firing them. This is another reason why consulting with an attorney is critical in order to craft a well-written and researched lawsuit to protect your rights.