LOS ANGELES – A Black veteran Los Angeles police sergeant is suing the city — alleging he was wrongfully denied one of two open SWAT positions despite being the best qualified candidate — because he had sued the city for race discrimination over a similar job rejection in 12 years earlier.
Sgt. Gregory Hoskins’ Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit alleges retaliation and seeks unspecified damages. A representative for the City Attorney’s Office could not be immediately reached.
Hoskins has been a sergeant since 2003 and sued the city in 2010, alleging he was denied a sergeant position in the SWAT team because of his race. During trial of the first suit, LAPD SWAT Lt. Ruben Lopez and many other SWAT team members testified on behalf of the city, according to the new suit.
Thereafter, Lopez openly stated often that Hoskins could never work in SWAT “after trying to sue me,” or words to that effect, according to the new suit.
In 2021, Hoskins competed through a physical fitness test and an interview for two open SWAT sergeant positions, the new suit states.
“Although plaintiff was the most qualified candidate for both positions, Lt. Lopez and/or other department supervisors rejected plaintiff for the positions to retaliate against him for filing his 2010 lawsuit and instead selected less qualified candidates,” the new suit alleges.
Hoskins has suffered past and future lost income, including overtime, on-call pay, pension and/or other privileges and benefits and he now has fewer chances for promotions within the LAPD, the new suit states.