COATESVILLE — For the second time in less than a
year, the Coatesville Police Department has been sued by a minority officer
alleging discrimination.
Police Cpl. Larry Cooper claims he has been
passed up for promotions because he is black and that Chief Julius Canale has
created a hostile work environment that is racially discriminatory. Last
September, two black officers and two Latino officers sued the city and cited
similar grievances. That lawsuit is ongoing.
In his suit, Cooper claims that over the course
of his nearly 16 years in the force he has been refused numerous promotions
despite being the most qualified and longest tenured officer in the department.
Cooper is the only black officer in the department with any rank. Four other
black officers have no ranking.
“Less
qualified and/or junior white police officers have consistently been promoted
above (Cooper) to positions of sergeant and lieutenant,” the lawsuit states.
The suit also claims that despite numerous
courses and recognitions in specific subject areas of police work, Cooper has
been denied spots on special units within the department in favor of less
qualified and less experienced white officers.
The lawsuit also alleges Canale was part of a
cover-up of an internal investigation into alleged sexual misconduct by five
officers. The officers and a relative of one of the officers are now known as
the Dirty Half Dozen.
The suit claims that about 2007 the department
investigated allegations that two officers had unwanted sexual relations with a
woman. Three other officers were later investigated for having sex with the
same woman while on duty, according to the lawsuit.
An internal investigation was conducted and the
high-ranking officer who performed it at the time recommended that all five
officers be fired, the suit states. Four of the five officers remain in the
department and non were fired at the time. All five of the officers involved in
the incidents are white.
The internal investigation was then reportedly
given to Canale, who decided not to fire those involved, the suit states.
Instead, the suit claims that the officers involved admit that Canale agreed to
allow each officer to pay the woman $25,000 in exchange for not bringing
criminal charges on the officers involved.
The suit states that all four of the remaining
officers involved in the incidents have been named by Canale as an acting
sergeant or sergeant above Cooper.