An openly gay police officer is suing the NYPD, claiming his superior reviewed him negatively because of his sexual orientation.
Michael Fox, a police sergeant with the 24th precinct, says he lost his paid leave to pursue a Masters degree, as well as the NYPD scholarship used to pay for his schooling, when Platoon Commander Lieutenant Roger Lurch gave him a 2.5 out of a 5 rating on an evaluation. Prior to transferring to the West 100th Street station, Fox had always received excellent reviews since he first joined the force in 1998.
But Fox says it wasn’t just the evaluation that leads him to believe there is discrimination involved. He also claims Lurch would sneer statements like, “you’re not a ‘real cop’,” and “you belong at a desk.” The New York Post reports that Fox says he was told that someone does not become a “real cop” until there are complaints of brutality alleged against him. “As I had never worked in the same tough precincts as he had, I would never be a ‘real’ cop in Lt. Lutch’s eyes,” he said.
A judge previously ruled against Fox, but this suit states bias. He is suing to have his leave and scholarship reinstated.
