By Nick Bonham
Pueblo CHieftain
PUEBLO, Colo. — Allegations of sexual discrimination and retaliation were filed against the Pueblo Police Department this week by a veteran female officer.
The suit alleges that Cpl. Renee Huddleson, a 20-year veteran, was twice denied promotion to the rank of sergeant because of her gender.
The suit was filed in district court on Monday by Huddleson’s Englewood-based lawyer.
On Thursday, Chief Jim Billings and City Attorney Tom Jagger both said they had not been notified of the suit. “Our office is not aware of the complaint yet, so we’re not in a position to respond,” Jagger said.
A phone message to Huddleson’s attorney was not returned.
According to the lawsuit, Huddleson filed a report of retaliation and sex discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2004 and 2006. Two years later the EEOC found a “reasonable cause to believe that Pueblo discriminated against Ms. Huddleson because of her sex and retaliated against her.”
The eight-page suit does not mention Huddleson’s domestic violence arrest in April 2000, when she went by her married last name of Minck.
According to court records, Huddleson was arrested on suspicion of third-degree assault, harassment and disorderly conduct by offensive gestures.
Huddleson pleaded guilty to the disorderly conduct charge, a petty offense. As part of her sentence, Huddleson completed anger management courses.
According to the suit, Huddleson’s 2004 grievance to the EEOC involves then-captain Michael Bennett (now a deputy chief) and Deputy Chief Ron Gravatt (now retired). It said that the city of Pueblo and Chief Billings were notified of the complaint.
The suit doesn’t give the basis for the 2004 grievance, but the EEOC investigation was still continuing in Feb. 2006, when Huddleson interviewed for one of two open sergeant positions in front of a three-member panel.
Going into the interviews, Huddleson ranked fourth out of 13 officers based on results from the department’s exam for sergeant. On the panel were Deputy Chief John Ercul, Captain Richard Goddard and Bennett.
“Huddleson was unaware that Captain Bennett was chosen for her interview panel,” the suit said.
The panel found Huddleson’s answers were “acceptable” and one panelist said “she had done well.”
According to the suit, Bennett replied, “She isn’t suing you!”
Huddleson wasn’t promoted.
The suit said that the second-rank officer decided not to interview and that the first- and third-ranked officers going into the interview stages were promoted, the suit said.
The top ranked officer had a bachelor’s degree and five years experience, the other candidate had a high school diploma and two years less experience than Huddleson.
Huddleson has a bachelor’s of science degree in psychology from the University of Southern Colorado, now Colorado State University-Pueblo.
“Pueblo discriminated against Ms. Huddleson by denying her promotion to sergeant based on her gender. Pueblo promoted males much less qualified than Ms. Huddleson,” the suit said.
Another sergeant position opened in March 2006 and Huddleson ranked first on the list of candidates, tied with officer Franklin Ortega.
The officers didn’t interview in front of a panel that time. The suit said Billings told Huddleson the positions would be offered to either her or officer Franklin Ortega, who had “very little post-high school education (and) no supervisory experience and had been a police officer for only about eight years.”
Billings promoted Ortega. The suit said Billings told Huddleson that he didn’t “hold the thing with Bennett against her,” but her promotion “wouldn’t be right” considering the EEOC complaint.
Other guiding factors were that Ortega used less sick time than Huddleson, was involved more in the community and that he performed better during the first interview process.
The suit is seeking financial, emotional and personal damages.
Copyright 2009 Pueblo Chieftain