Franklin Police settle with mixed-race couple
City will pay officers $140,000 in discrimination case
By Kevin Walters/ The Tennessean
A pair of married Franklin, Tennessee police officers will be paid $140,000
and leave the city’s police force as part of a settlement ending a
discrimination lawsuit the couple brought against the city back in 2008.
Chris
and Arlena Clausi filed a discrimination lawsuit in November 2008
against the city, alleging they suffered harassment, discrimination and
retaliation from top police officials and their fellow uniformed
officers while on the force. Chris Clausi, who is white, and Arlena
Clausi, who is black, met while serving on the police force and married
in 1995.
The settlement is the second six-figure pay out to
Franklin police officers since 2011 when Franklin aldermen agreed to pay
a $288,000 payment as part of a jury award and rehire a former officer
who sued the city to get his job back.
Rather than take the
Clausis’ case to court, Franklin aldermen chose to settle — though
Franklin officials denied the couple’s claims of discrimination.
“This
was the best decision for all involved,” said City Administrator Eric
Stuckey in a statement. “Now the city and the Clausis can move forward.”
The
couple had sought $350,000 in compensation, plus an additional amount
for attorney’s fees. Instead, they’ll be paid $140,000 which includes
damages and attorney fees and will no longer be police officers. The
city and its insurer will cover the payment.
As a part of the
settlement, Arlena Clausi must retire within 30 days and cannot reapply
for any employment with the city of Franklin, the city said.
Chris
Clausi will be transferred to the city’s Human Resources Department
where he will work as an employee relations manager. He cannot reapply
for a job within the Franklin Police Department, the city said.
Though
Franklin aldermen voted to the deal in February, details of the
settlement were made public late Friday as part of a press release.
“The
City of Franklin takes any claim of discrimination very seriously and
does not admit any liability to the plaintiffs in this case,” Stuckey
said in the statement. “The decision to settle this case by Board of
Mayor and Aldermen was purely a business decision.”
Arlena Clausi
was hired as a dispatcher in 1987 and was promoted to detective in 2000.
Chris Clausi was hired as a police officer in 1990 and promoted to
lieutenant in 2007.
Source: Kevin Walters | The Tennessean
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