Two Black Seattle cops are suing the town of Seattle, alleging they have been harassed and discriminated in opposition to for years in a hostile work surroundings the town fostered and perpetuated.
In two separate civil lawsuits filed on April 16 in King County Superior Courtroom, Officers Michael Griffin and Corey Foy say they confronted racial discrimination every day, together with quite a few incidents that embarrassed and humiliated them.
Griffin, who has been a Seattle police officer for greater than 30 years, alleges in his grievance that he was “ridiculed for being African American,” accused of sleeping on the job and requested why he “all the time seems to be so sleepy” by a supervising lieutenant, whereas white officers who slept in a TV room close by confronted no such reprimands.
He says different officers made sport of evaluating him to a photograph of a Black suspect on the division’s South precinct, the place they inserted Griffin’s picture instead of the suspect and later crossed out the suspect’s identify and wrote in his.
The picture was left in place for weeks subsequent to a sergeant’s desk, the place officers would commonly stroll previous it. In some unspecified time in the future, an officer wrote “Haha” on the picture, which Griffin didn’t discover humorous and was “deeply embarrassed” by within the ongoing harassment, the lawsuit says.
On one other event, Griffin responded to a name by which he was known as “Ni—er” a number of instances by an older white man, interactions caught on video. Griffin alleges that he remained calm and accomplished his police duties throughout the incident, however was later written up by non-Black officers and “given remedial coaching on find out how to carry out below such a scenario.”
He additionally claims just a few officers requested him “if his individuals grew [tails] after midnight.”
The lawsuit says Griffin was given “totally different individualized expectations for efficiency” that weren’t given to non-Black officers, and repeatedly missed for profession development alternatives, together with extra time work, particular coaching and promotions.
Griffin was denied alternatives to turn out to be a area coaching officer and a hostage negotiator, regardless of being certified for the positions and having no pertinent efficiency points in his evaluations, he claims, whereas non-Black officers with related {qualifications} and coaching did transfer forward.
In the meantime, Foy additionally claims he encountered “degrading” and “hostile” conduct from white officers, in addition to disparate disciplinary therapy over a interval of years.
That included a day in 2021 when Foy got here into the precinct earlier than the beginning of roll name carrying exercise garments and walked by Officer A.J. Marks, who allegedly stated, in entrance of a roomful of different officers, “Why are you coming in right here trying like a rattling thug?”
After this “demeaning” remark, the room went quiet, his grievance says, and Foy went to the locker room and turned into his uniform, asking Marks when he returned, “How do I look now?”
Marks reportedly replied, “You appear to be a rattling thug,” his phrases embarrassing and humiliating Foy, who made a proper grievance that was investigated by the Seattle PD’s Workplace of Police Accountability.
In Could of 2021, the OPA discovered that Marks had behaved unprofessionally however didn’t maintain the extra critical cost of racial bias, arguing they may not show Marks had racist intent when he known as the Black officer a “thug,” DivestSPD reported. Marks was briefly suspended for the misconduct.
Foy’s lawsuit additionally describes uncomfortable encounters with Sgt. Jennifer Samson, who’s white, together with an ungainly second when he met her mom at a police guild luncheon. Samson’s mom reportedly stated, “Um, wow, I’ve by no means met a brother earlier than,” producing gales of laughter by these current directed at Foy.
Throughout a gathering with Samson relating to his switch to a different squad, Samson allegedly claimed throughout the assembly that Foy was indignant as a result of he needed up to now a Black feminine officer who was relationship a white officer on the time, an unseemly accusation that “perplexed” Foy, he says.
Foy was advised he was being transferred due to his veteran management standing, however then realized the officer he switched positions with had extra time and expertise within the division than he did. He felt the transfer was made in retaliation, the grievance says.
Samson allegedly known as Foy “a slug” and “badmouthed him to different officers about not doing his job,” the lawsuit says, although Foy met all expectations on his job efficiency evaluations.
Although the lawsuit particulars just a few cases when Foy didn’t put on his police vest to roll name or was 5 minutes late to a coaching session, it contends that he was handled in another way than different non-Black officers, who weren’t reprimanded for such minor infractions, which occurred commonly.
Incidents of blatant racism and microaggressions have been additionally frequent, the grievance says.
Someday, when strolling by means of a locked safety gate into work, Officer Cody Alidon checked out Foy and stated, “You look sketchy coming into work with a hood[ie] on carting a plastic bag,” to which Foy responded, “Why? Is it as a result of I’m Black?”
Alidon allegedly responded by laughing loudly, acquired into his patrol automotive and closed the door.
A poster on the skin of the locker room contained in the South precinct allegedly learn, “I like all my white associates,” the lawsuit says.
Foy, who’s from Georgia, says he was “mocked and taunted” due to his Southern accent. He claims he witnessed one other African-American officer being ridiculed as he put away his lotion within the locker room. An officer walked in, “gave an exaggerated sniff,” and stated, “What sort of lotion is that? It’s gotta be cocoa butter.”
Like Griffin, Foy’s grievance says he was additionally denied extra time work whereas different officers with the identical {qualifications} and coaching got extra time, and contends a few of the denials have been in retaliation for reporting considerations about discrimination to the precinct captain.
On Sept. 17, 2024, Foy and Griffin every filed tort claims in opposition to the town of Seattle together with allegations of racial discrimination, harassment and hostile office that have been investigated by the town’s Equal Employment Workplace.
Superior officers advised them as a substitute of submitting grievances and complaints, they “ought to simply suck it up,” their lawsuits say.
Foy was “berated and stubborn out on false allegations” in Lt. Matthew Hendry’s workplace, and “advised he didn’t want an lawyer or Guild [police union] illustration,” he claims.
Each Griffin and Foy say the division and the town didn’t eradicate discrimination, harassment and retaliation that created a hostile work surroundings in violation of the Washington Regulation In opposition to Discrimination. In addition they declare a “tort of concern” in opposition to the town for negligent or intentional infliction of emotional misery below state frequent regulation.
They search a jury trial to find out compensatory, normal, particular and punitive damages, and a court docket order to drive the division to implement measures that may defend them and and different workers from additional discrimination and retaliation.
Their lawsuits are simply the newest amongst a rising listing of claims accusing the Seattle Police Division of some type of discrimination, reported the Seattle Occasions.
The previous two years have additionally seen lawsuits from 4 feminine officers, a police lieutenant, a veteran detective, an assistant chief, and a former candidate for chief — alleging misconduct and civil rights violations, including bullying, sexual harassment, gender and racial discrimination. A lot of the lawsuits are awaiting decision, however earlier this month, the town paid out practically $1 million to settle a lawsuit introduced by a Black captain who alleged discrimination.
Attorneys for the town of Seattle didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark from Atlanta Black Star.
In keeping with the King County Superior Courtroom clerk, the town of Seattle has till September 2025 to file a protection pleading or a press release of arbitrability. Discovery within the case can be lower off in March 2026, when mediation will happen. If no settlement is reached, the trial is at the moment scheduled for April 20, 2026.
