LOS ANGELES – A Black Los Angeles police officer who sued the city, alleging the Media Relations Division director referred to him and a Black colleague as “boys,” has settled his suit against the city, it was revealed during a court hearing Tuesday.
The announcement comes two years after Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Theresa M. Traber denied a motion by the City Attorney’s Office to confirm what its lawyers maintained was an enforceable settlement with Officer Raymond Brown, whose whistleblower suit alleged he was denied promotions for complaining about discrimination and harassment and because management believed he would testify in support of a supervisor who is also suing the city.
Traber said at the time that the city’s argument was not supported by a signed settlement agreement. But on Tuesday, a minute order prepared by Traber’s clerk stated that Judge Ruth A. Kwan had notified Traber that the case was resolved during a settlement conference. No terms were divulged in the resolution of the case, which was scheduled to start trial on Tuesday.
Brown was hired by the LAPD in 2005 and in 2015 was assigned to the online unit in the Media Relations Division, according to his complaint filed in May 2020.
Brown alleges that in late 2017, Josh Rubenstein — who as commanding officer of the LAPD’s Public Communications Group oversees the sworn and civilian staff of the Media Relations Division — asked Brown and another Black officer, “How are you boys?” and repeated the greeting to the pair within a week.
The term “boy” has historically been used to degrade and dehumanize Black men, so the two officers asked Rubenstein not to address them that way again, according to the suit, which alleges Rubenstein “dismissively” responded that he would be mindful of their request, then left “visibly angry.”
Days later, Rubenstein addressed Brown and the other Black officer as “boys” yet again, but this time in “a snide and mocking tone of voice,” the suit alleges.
Within a week, Rubenstein made the remark for a fourth time and was overheard by Capt. Patricia Sandoval, who apologized to Brown and the other Black officer and told them that she informed Rubenstein it was “not cool” to address them in such a manner, the suit alleges.
The suit states that both Sandoval and Rubenstein, who are not defendants in the suit, subsequently became “cold and dismissive” toward the two Black officers and that both made statements indicating they would not advance within the unit and should transfer.
In October 2018, Brown applied for two promotions within the unit, and although he was the most qualified for both jobs, Rubenstein and Sandoval picked other candidates, according to the plaintiff’s court papers.
In April 2019, the supervisor for both Black officers, Sgt. Frank Preciado, sued the city for alleged race discrimination, race harassment and retaliation. Preciado alleged he experienced retaliation after he complained about being banned from speaking Spanish.
Brown and the other Black officer both complained to Preciado about allegedly being addressed by Rubenstein as “boys” and the sergeant then told Sandoval, Brown’s suit alleges.
Brown, who was again denied a promotion in July 2019, believes he did not get the job because management in Media Relations believed he would testify on behalf of Preciado in the sergeant’s lawsuit, according to his lawsuit. Preciado and the city reached a settlement in his lawsuit in 2022.
