Former Yeadon police chief Anthony Paparo settles racial discrimination lawsuit for $2.5M
YEADON, Pa. (CBS) - Former Yeadon police chief Anthony Paparo and the borough settled a federal racial discrimination lawsuit for $2.5 million, Paparo's attorney Harold Goodman confirmed to CBS Philadelphia on Tuesday.
The Yeadon Borough Council voted 4-3 in March 2022 to fire Paparo, citing his performance and claiming he mismanaged funds.
Paparo filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and denial of due process, claiming he was fired because he's White and some council members wanted a Black police chief.
"It is a uniquely rewarding result to be able to bring to justice claims by Chief Paparo of race discrimination, retaliation and defamation a good man who had earned respect from the Yeadon Community has now been able to obtain his good name back and to have done so with the support of so many residents of Yeadon and community," Goodman said in a statement.
CBS Philadelphia reached out to both the Borough of Yeadon manager and current police chief Henry Giammarco. Both offered no comment.
Before his removal, Paparo said he felt his job was on the line because of his race and that he was told some council members preferred a Black chief to run the force.
Council members who voted to fire Paparo also claimed he violated a police collective bargaining agreement when he offered overtime jobs to part-time officers.
Then Council President Sharon Council-Harris said after the vote, "This is not about race. I hired him in 2017."
Paparo was devasted and emotional after the meeting.
"This is not how my career ends. Thirty-eight years of my life as a cop, it's not how my career ends because they don't like the color of my skin," Paparo said. "It's destroying my wife, it's destroying my kids. My career doesn't end like this. It doesn't end like this."