PASADENA : Demoted Officer Files Bias Suit Against Chief

A Pasadena police sergeant who was demoted after internal investigations into his sex life and an unrelated ticket-fixing allegation has sued Police Chief Jerry Oliver.

In a lawsuit filed Feb. 2 in Pasadena Superior Court, Sgt. Paul Gales alleges that Oliver and three top-ranking police officials violated his civil rights and discriminated against him by conducting an inquiry into a relationship between Gales and a female officer.

The female officer, who did not work under Gales’ supervision, gave birth to Gales’ child. Gales, 33, was demoted from lieutenant, taking a $13,000-a-year cut in pay, last Sept. 1.

Gales has assumed financial responsibility for the child, who is now almost 1 year old. The child’s mother, who has not been identified, was not disciplined, police officials have said.

In another matter that police officials have said was unrelated to the paternity probe, Gales came under investigation on Sept. 2 for allegedly fixing a traffic ticket for another female friend.

Both Gales and the woman have denied the allegation.

In the lawsuit, Gales claims that Oliver and the other police officials unfairly looked into his personal life and singled Gales out for investigation because he is African American. Gales also alleges he was disciplined unfairly because he is a man.