COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) – Columbus City Council has voted to settle a discrimination lawsuit filed by two white Columbus Police officers who challenge the city's affirmative action program.
The city has agreed to pay Lt. Ralph Dowe and Lt. Tony Litle $200,000 each, and pay their attorney's an additional $200,000.
The city council took action at the end of Tuesday's meeting following an executive session to discuss litigation.
In the March 2022 lawsuit the “… Plaintiffs allege that Chief Blackmon discriminated against them by denying them promotions in seeking to achieve and maintain a predetermined racial and gender balance,” the suit alleges. “Plaintiffs bring claims of race and gender discrimination pursuant to the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.”
Mayor Skip Henderson says Dowe and Tony will remain on the CPD's police force.
"I can say that I am glad it's behind us. I think it allows us to deal with what we need to be doing in this community and that's supporting our men and women of law enforcement and keeping our citizens safe. By getting this behind us it allows us to focus all of our energy, all of our time and all of our attention to making Columbus the safest city," said Henderson
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