Three Women File a Lawsuit Against D.C. Police for $1 Million Each Over Alleged Retaliation, Harassment

Three women who work for the Metropolitan Police Department are suing their employer saying the department “devalues and marginalizes them as both employees and human beings.” The lawsuit details allegations of sexual harassment, mistreatment, bullying and retaliation.

The lawsuit was filed by Karen Ervin, Brandy Smith and Diana Walker. The three Black women work at MPD, two as officers and the third as a civilian employee. They say MPD has fostered a culture that strongly discourages workers from reporting poor conduct by male officers while allowing systematic bullying and retaliation.

“The wrath of the “old boys club” is unleashed on women who speak up, principally by their colleagues, with both union support and tacit approval and management using the power of disciplinary action to investigate, threaten and intimidate women at MPD into remaining silent,” the lawsuit reads. “The more senior or powerful the abusive male, the more likely that any woman who complains about him will be shunned, bullied into submission, or pushed out of her employment.”

Read the source article at WUSA 9