Officer Who Won Bias Suit Is Suspended

A Latino police officer who last year won a federal racial discrimination suit against the Glendale Police Department was suspended for four days this month after being accused of slapping a teen-ager during an arrest.

However, the officer’s attorney denied the charge and called the suspension of Officer Ricardo L. Jauregui “retaliation” for his courtroom victory last fall.

“They are trying to harass him in every way they can think of,” said David Alkire, Jauregui’s attorney.

The incident involved the February arrest of a Glendale youth on suspicion of car burglary, Alkire said. The teen-ager’s mother filed a complaint against Jauregui, but later withdrew it after she found out that her son had lied about the incident, Alkire said.

However, the department pursued the complaint and suspended Jauregui, the attorney said.

Police officials refused to comment on the case. But Glendale City Atty. Frank Manzano said that, despite the mother’s repeal of the complaint, Jauregui slapped and used foul language when arresting the teen-ager.

Alkire said he will appeal the suspension to the Civil Service Commission next month. If cleared of wrongdoing, Jauregui will be awarded four days’ back pay.

Last year, Jauregui won a bias suit in which he claimed he was passed up for promotion in favor of less-qualified Anglo officers. In October, U.S. District Judge Dickran Tevrizian Jr. ordered Jauregui promoted to sergeant with back pay at that rank, retroactive to February 1985. The promotion is pending until an appeal by the City of Glendale is resolved.

Siegfried Dale Faucette, a black police officer who testified in Jauregui’s case about bias in the department, was fired earlier this month for his involvement in an off-duty fight with a hospital security guard in Hollywood. Faucette’s attorney said the dismissal may have been retaliation for Faucette’s testimony. Police officials denied it.