By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A former Los Angeles Police Department commander was awarded $5.7 million in a discrimination lawsuit after being fired over a public intoxication arrest, court records show.
• The commander alleged LAPD discriminated against him based on disability and treated him differently from other officers.
• A federal jury found in his favor after a trial in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
• The decision highlights legal scrutiny of disciplinary actions involving officers’ conduct and protected characteristics.
LOS ANGELES, CA — A former Los Angeles Police Department commander was awarded $5.7 million by a federal jury after successfully arguing that his termination over a public intoxication arrest was discriminatory, court records show.
The plaintiff, a retired LAPD commander, filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleging the department discriminated against him on the basis of disability and subjected him to unequal treatment compared to other officers involved in similar conduct.
During the trial, attorneys for the former commander presented evidence and testimony that LAPD’s disciplinary actions were influenced by perceptions of his disability, arguments that were accepted by the jury, according to court filings.
The jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, awarding compensatory and punitive damages totaling $5.7 million, a decision that underscores legal scrutiny of how police departments discipline personnel and address claims of protected class discrimination.
Officials from the city and LAPD did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the verdict or subsequent plans regarding disciplinary policies.