Trooper alleges discrimination, retaliation and AI-generated harassment in WSP lawsuit
Dec 31, 2025, 9:37 AM
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
A veteran Washington State Patrol trooper has filed a lawsuit in Pierce County Superior Court, alleging years of discrimination, retaliation, and harassment — including the creation and circulation of an AI-generated video mocking his sexual orientation — according to a complaint filed Dec. 19.
The lawsuit was filed by Collin Overend Pearson, a Pierce County resident who has worked as a trooper for about 19 years.
Pearson is suing the State of Washington, through the Washington State Patrol (WSP), and Sergeant Joshua Griffith and Trooper Anthony Barlow.
According to the complaint, Pearson alleged he has been subjected to a pattern of discriminatory and unconstitutional treatment because he is gay, creating what he describes as a hostile work environment.
The lawsuit outlines a series of events beginning in early 2023, when Pearson applied for a position with the Des Moines Police Department in an effort to leave the Washington State Patrol.
Pearson received a job offer with a scheduled start date of April 17, 2023, but the complaint states the offer was later rescinded after a WSP captain contacted Des Moines’ police chief and advised him not to hire Pearson.
The complaint alleged the captain later admitted to making the call and expressed regret.
Pearson filed a formal complaint about the interference, but the lawsuit says the treatment did not stop.
In December 2023, Pearson was on approved sick leave for two days.
On Dec. 14, he overslept after his phone battery died overnight and did not notify his supervisor that he would miss his shift, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges that at about 5:13 a.m., Sergeant Griffith sent Trooper Barlow to Pearson’s home.
Another person staying at the home answered the door.
The complaint stated Barlow entered the residence without consent, went to the lower level of the home, woke Pearson, and questioned him.
Later that same day, officers from the Ruston Police Department were also sent to Pearson’s home to conduct an additional check.
The lawsuit describes that visit as unnecessary and humiliating.
The Washington State Patrol then opened an internal investigation into the missed shift.
According to the complaint, the investigation lasted several months and included interviews with colleagues, scrutiny of Pearson’s personal life, and involvement of outside agencies.
The lawsuit alleges information obtained during the home entry effectively disclosed Pearson’s sexual orientation to others within the agency.
In May 2024, Pearson received an internal report sustaining violations related to neglect of duty and off-duty alcohol use, with a recommendation of a five-day unpaid suspension.
At a predetermination hearing in August 2024, union representatives objected, arguing the home entry was unlawful and that other troopers who overslept were not treated similarly.
The following day, the State Patrol issued a revised determination acknowledging that the entry into Pearson’s home was illegal.
The agency stated any information obtained during that entry could not be used and reclassified the alcohol allegation as “undetermined,” according to the complaint.
The lawsuit also details a separate internal investigation that began in September 2024 after an anonymous complaint accused Pearson of threatening behavior while working off-duty at Club Silverstone, a Tacoma gay bar.
The complaint alleged the report used a fake name and email address and that investigators questioned staff and patrons at the club.
The investigation ultimately found no sustained misconduct, but Pearson alleged the incident caused ongoing harm to his reputation.
The complaint further alleged that in December, WSP personnel created an AI-generated video depicting Pearson and another trooper, both in uniform, standing in an official law enforcement setting and engaging in intimate kissing.
An audible voice in the video stated, “This is SWAT training, no homo.”
According to the lawsuit, the video was circulated among numerous troopers.
The complaint describes the phrase used in the video as derogatory and alleges the incident demonstrates that Pearson’s sexual orientation was treated as a subject of ridicule within the workplace.
Pearson’s lawsuit alleged violations of his Fourth Amendment rights, workplace discrimination and retaliation under state law, and invasion of privacy.
He is seeking damages for lost pay, emotional distress, harm to his professional reputation, attorney fees, and other relief to be determined at trial.
When reached for comment, WSP declined to comment on this particular case, but added, “The Washington State Patrol believes that all employees have the right to work in an environment where skills, abilities, and dignity are valued and is free from bias, harassment, and intimidation.”
