By Bill Bird, Naperville Sun
Chicago Sun Times
Copyright 2006 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
A 21-year veteran of the Naperville Police Department who recently championed the force’s recruitment and hiring of more women has filed a federal sexual discrimination complaint against the city.
Sgt. Lisa M. Burghardt, who has spent the last 2oe years as the department’s training sergeant, confirmed Monday she has filed a “charge of discrimination” with the with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission through the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
The EEOC complaint alleges Burghardt began suffering on-the-job harassment June 13, the day after she issued a statement publicizing efforts to recruit more women to work for the Police Department.
Burghardt, who began her police career in Naperville in July 1985, said a supervisor “verbally reprimanded” her that day and again July 26 over her uniform.
Dwight Pancottine, the city of Naperville’s labor attorney, said Monday that municipal officials have investigated Burghardt’s allegations.
“We found they don’t have any merit relative to her claim of sex discrimination,” Pancottine said. “We believe the EEOC investigation will conclude the same.”