Police captain claims sexual harassment, lack of action by chief

Some workplace environments can allow individuals to feel as if they have a family in their co-workers and a home away from home. Unfortunately, many employees in various industries do not have such benefits. In fact, their work environments can be hostile, and they can face mistreatment from their co-workers, including in the form of sexual harassment.

New York readers may be interested in a lawsuit filed in another state by a female police captain who claims she was sexually harassed on the job. According to reports, a photograph of a nude woman was being circulated around the police department, and some individuals claimed that the photo was of the police captain, even though it was not her. The photo continued to be passed around, and derogatory comments were made about her.

Due to an earlier report filed from a female detective, the police department chief knew that the photo and comments regarding the captain were being circulated, but the department did not inform the woman of the misconduct. Additionally, the chief and department did not heed the woman’s request to make it known that the circulating photo was not of her after she found out, but no such actions were taken. The department reportedly told the police captain not to talk about the sexual harassment allegations. Her lawsuit is filed against the police department.

A negative work environment can weigh heavily on employees, especially those who are victims of sexual harassment. When victims go to their superiors for help and nothing is done, they can feel out of hope. However, they do have legal protections, and actions can be taken to bring attention to wrongdoing and work toward resolving issues. Employees in New York who have faced such harassment may want to gain information on their legal options.

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