Female police officer alleges gender discrimination by YPD superiors

August 14, 2017 at 11:07p.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

A city police officer on Monday filed a lawsuit alleging that her superiors discriminated against her because she is a woman.

The lawsuit, which was filed in the Northern District Court of Ohio, Eastern Division and was first obtained by The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, 21 WFMJ-TV, names Detective Sgt. Patricia Garcar as the plaintiff and the city, police Chief Robin Lees, police Capt. Rod Foley, and two unnamed “John Does” as defendants. The suit alleges civil rights violations, invasion of Garcar’s privacy, and “intentional infliction of emotional distress.”

Reached by The Vindicator Monday night, Lees deferred comment to the city law department. City Law Director Martin Hume could not be reached for comment.

According to the filing, Garcar began working for YPD in 1994 and was promoted to sergeant in 2000. She has been a detective in the accident investigation unit since 1998.

Garcar previously filed charges of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and earlier this year received notice from the EEOC that she could file a lawsuit based on a gender and retaliation complaint, according to court documents. Garcar is awaiting an EEOC notice on another charge, according to the filing.