New Bedford Police Officers Deny Gender Discrimination Allegations
City police officers deny the allegations made by a female former New Bedford police officer who filed a lawsuit last month for gender discrimination. They have asked the court to dismiss the officer’s complaint, according to a response filed July 16.
Macaila Saunders, now an officer with the Swansea Police Department, alleges three officers, including a former police chief, created a hostile workplace and engaged in gender discrimination and retaliation in 2018 and 2019.
The defendants — former police Chief Joseph Cordeiro, Lt. Scott Carola, Deputy Chief Adelino Sousa and the city of New Bedford — deny the allegations that Saunders was forced to move to another police department due to retaliation and a hostile work environment toward female officers.
