The Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO — Two high-ranking female police officers have sued police Chief William McManus, alleging gender discrimination. Deputy Chief Rose Mary Flammia and Lt. Cozette Fogus filed separate suits on May 25 against McManus, the department and the city, saying they were passed over for promotions in favor of less-experienced men.
“Both of them have spotless records and no, from what I can find, discernible reason that they should not have been promoted over those men,” said lawyer Richard Ihfe, who represents both women.
City Attorney Michael Bernard denied McManus discriminated against the women.
“Nobody’s got an entitlement to be promoted,” Bernard said.
Flammia, who has been with the department since 1977 and was promoted to deputy chief by a previous chief, alleges McManus passed her up on two promotions to assistant chief in favor of men with fewer years of experience as deputy chief.
She was then moved out of a division in favor of another less-experienced male officer, her lawsuit says.
Fogus, who commanded the Sex Crimes/Family Violence Unit for more than a decade, claims she was passed over to replace a retiring captain. A man with one year of experience in the department’s Major Crimes Section instead got the job.
Bernard said McManus acted within the law and that the city has plenty of evidence the chief acted for the right reasons. The lawsuits filed by the women aren’t the first against McManus charging discrimination. An Ohio jury found last year that a white female police major in Dayton was the victim of racial discrimination after McManus fired her during his tenure there.