Female Sheriff Deputy Sues Orange County Sheriff's Department for Sexual Harassment

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - March 19, 2018 - PRLog -- The Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD or Department) violated state law when it retaliated against a female sheriff's deputy who reported being sexually harassed by male deputies in the workplace, including being sexually assaulted by her supervising deputy, as charged in a lawsuit filed in state court.

According to the suit, filed under the fictitious name Jane Roe, the male-dominant culture of the OCSD fosters an atmosphere that is tolerant of sexual harassment of female deputies and complaints about such misconduct are implicitly discouraged.

The suit specifically alleges that Jane Roe's supervisor, Deputy Joseph Medina, sexually assaulted her in her hotel room while she was sleeping, during an out-of-state extradition assignment.  The suit alleges after Deputy Roe reported the sexual assault, the Department took no action to protect her from the wide-spread retaliation that followed when her fellow deputies rallied in support of their male co-worker and tarnished Roe's character and reputation, destroying her law enforcement career.

California law protects workers from sexual harassment and retaliation for reporting harassment.  According to Jane Roe's attorney, Brett Markson of Markson Pico LLP, Roe filed suit against the County and Medina after first attempting to discuss Roe's complaints and the sweeping changes needed to protect other female deputies and employees within the Department.  The County refused to take Roe's claims seriously.

"The culture within the Sheriff's Department needs to change," said Markson.  "Despite being hit with a recent multi-million dollar jury verdict for allowing a deputy who was a sexual predator to continue to patrol the streets while he was under investigation for sexual misconduct, and despite losing all credibility due to the Department's jail informant scandal, and despite the embarrassing incompetence that enabled predators to escape from jail, the Orange County Sheriff's Department continues to be unwilling or unable to acknowledge internal shortcomings and to right its moral compass."

"Sexual harassment against women in the workplace is found in every industry—law enforcement is no exception," Markson continued.  "In law enforcement, like all other industries, sexual harassment can only be stopped when victims like Deputy Roe summon the courage to demand changed.  This lawsuit is Deputy Roe's #MeToo."