TORRANCE : City’s Tab for Rights Suit Nears $1 Million
City expenses to fight a Department of Justice lawsuit neared $1 million this week when the City Council approved payments for services related to the case.
City Atty. John L. Fellows said fees for outside counsel and specialists, including the $383,521 approved Tuesday, amount to $920,908.
The federal civil rights lawsuit, which was filed last year, alleges that the hiring policies of Torrance’s Fire and Police departments have discriminated against blacks, Latinos and Asians and have deprived those groups of employment based on race or national origin.
Fellows said the city’s policies do not discriminate.
“We don’t think we are guilty of any wrongful employment practices,” Fellows said. “We think the tests that we are using are fair and job related.”
Part of the city’s fight against the lawsuit will be a Price Waterhouse analysis of the labor market in Los Angeles County. It will cost $38,275 and was included in the amount appropriated this week.
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