LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles County jury awarded $5.7 million to a former LAPD commander who claimed she was wrongfully fired and treated differently than male colleagues following a 2018 incident, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Nicole Mehringer argued in her lawsuit that the department held her to a stricter standard after an alcohol-related arrest, while male officers in similar situations were allowed to keep their jobs or retire without discipline, according to the L.A. Times. The jury ruled in her favor on March 18.
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“I feel grateful and vindicated,” Mehringer said after the verdict.
The case stemmed from a 2018 incident in Glendale, where Mehringer and a subordinate were found in a stopped vehicle. Both showed signs of intoxication, and Mehringer was charged with public intoxication. The charge was later dismissed after she completed a recovery program. The subordinate pleaded no contest to driving under the influence.
Following an internal review, Mehringer was terminated after declining a proposed demotion. She later sued the city, alleging gender discrimination and retaliation, according to the L.A. Times.
During the trial, her attorneys argued that department leadership treated her differently and pointed to testimony from former Chief Michel Moore as a key factor in the case. In the trial, Mehringer’s attorneys told jurors that Moore lied when the ex-chief, who retired in 2024, testified that he never overruled a disciplinary panel’s decision to terminate someone.
