TORRANCE : U.S. Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Against City

The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Torrance, alleging it engaged in a “pattern and practice” of discrimination that has denied African-Americans, Asian-Americans and Latinos jobs as firefighters or police officers.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, seeks back pay, offers of employment and retroactive seniority for individuals who were denied sworn police and fire positions in Torrance. The suit did not specify how many unsuccessful applicants could be affected.

City officials dispute the allegations and say they intend to fight the lawsuit. “We feel that some of the demands are totally unjustified,” Mayor Katy Geissert said, declining further comment.

Negotiations recently broke off between city officials and Justice Department representatives over a consent agreement that would have avoided the civil rights suit. Among the unresolved issues was the amount of compensation that would be paid to the unsuccessful applicants, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

Torrance is the largest of four Los Angeles County cities to be hit with a Justice Department discrimination complaint since 1990. Alhambra, El Monte and Pomona have reached consent agreements. El Monte was sued by the Justice Department before it reached an agreement last year to pay as much as $330,000 to African-Americans and Asian-Americans denied jobs as firefighters or police officers since 1985.