Everett police officers sue department, city for discrimination

Three Everett police officers have a filed a federal lawsuit against the city for what they claim is discrimination by the Everett Police Department.

The suit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court, alleges the department “routinely promoted Caucasian officers over more experienced and qualified officers of color in the department,” said attorney Victoria Vreeland. “These veteran police officers collectively have more than 60 years of police experience, but were repeatedly denied promotions despite their top rankings and qualifications due to their race.”

The suit says Sgt. Manuel Garcia, Sgt. Richard Wolfington and Officer Sherman Mah made formal complaints with appropriate department supervisors and city officials about what they deemed an “unfair and hostile workplace,” but the officials did nothing.

Garcia was the city’s first Hispanic and bilingual officer when he joined the department in 1988. He’s been a sergeant since 2002.

According to the complaint, Garcia was passed over for promotion to lieutenant despite ranking first on the eligibility register, while an officer who tested lower was promoted instead. Garcia was finally promoted to lieutenant in 2011, but the suit alleges when he raised issues of difference in treatment by his commanding officer, he was unfairly demoted.

“Everett’s police department is in charge of upholding the law, not breaking it,” Vreeland said. “City leaders were informed about these repeated civil rights violations and retaliation, but did nothing to correct it.”

The suit also alleges Mah, an Asian American with the department since 1995, was repeatedly skipped over for promotions given to other officers who ranked lower or failed required testing. It claims supervisors and city officials ignored his complaints.

The department is also accused of failing to investigate complaints by Wolfington, a Native American who served for 20 years after joining the department in 1993. The complaint says he was denied a promotion to lieutenant after reporting “unethical behavior by his commanding officer.”

Wolfington argues the cases demonstrate a pattern of discrimination extending city wide.

“The numbers at the city of Everett are pretty poor. There are only two minorities above rank of sergeant in the entire department. And that’s pretty bad in a city of this size.”

In response to the suit, the city of Everett issued the following statement:

The City investigated the plaintiff’s allegations and determined they were without merit. The City intends to vigorously defend against the claims. It is important to underscore that the Everett Police Department’s core values include integrity, professionalism and honor, and the Department is dedicated to providing a supportive, nondiscriminatory work environment. The Department uses fair processes for employee evaluations and for advancement to ensure that our most capable and effective officer leaders are promoted.