Utica Police Officer files gender discrimination claim against department
Story Created:
May 19, 2009 at 10:11 AM EST
Story Updated:
Jun 3, 2009 at 10:03 AM EST
UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - A Utica Police officer claims she is the best woman for the job....and that that's precisely why she didn't get it.
UPD Lieutenant Grace Pruitt and her attorney say she was the highest scorer on the civil service test for the position of captain of UPD's Criminal Investigation Division. In spite of that fact, an officer who scored lower than Pruitt on the exam, had less seniority on the job and less experience in CID was appointed above her.
Pruitt has filed a claim with the New York State Division of Human Rights. It's what happened after she filed that complaint that now has the UPD union president coming to Pruitt's defense.
PBA President, Sgt. Thomas Brady, claims that after Pruitt filed her complaint with the state, officials at UPD failed to follow proper channels before placing a reprimand involving an argument with another officer in Pruitt's personnel file. Brady claims Pruitt never got a hearing by a neutral arbitrator, to which she was entitled as per the union's collective bargaining agreement.
"And then he would rule on it and whatever his ruling was would be binding for both sides and right now the city bypassed that; they're just going to take the letter of reprimand and put it in the file and the union has a very big problem with that," says PBA President Sgt. Thomas Brady.
City officials declined to comment, but in their written response to the New York State Division of Human Rights, they acknowledge that Pruitt was the highest scorer on the civil service exam. They point to the fact that they're free to chose a candidate from the top three scorers, and that intangibles, such as communication skills, can figure into their decision.
Next, there will be a fact-finding hearing with all parties. Pruitt's attorney says that once the state has the complaint for six months, he will be free to file a federal lawsuit against the city of Utica. Attorney Peter Henner says that option will be closely examined when the time comes.
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