Folsom Police Department accused of racism and discrimination
FOLSOM - A former Folsom police officer was joined by two more in suing the city for discrimination and harassment. Legal documents spell out the positions of the city of Folsom, the police department and three complainants.
In one of the complaints, Homer Limon points to a "hostile work environment" and says he experienced retaliation because he "participated as a witness in a discrimination or harassment complaint and as a result was demoted, asked impermissible non-job-related questions, denied work opportunities or assignments."
Another complaint filed by Kimberly Moy Lim-Watson alleges that Lim-Watson was subjected to pervasive and continuous patterns of racial harassment, discrimination and sexual harassment in a hostile work environment. Lim-Watson alleges a superior texted "I've only been working OT for an hour and I already want to knock Kim Lim the f*** out."
James Dorris worked with the police department for 17 years before being fired, but he told CBS13 the harassment and discrimination within the department started well before that.
"All it did was remind me of the atmosphere, the environment I was in. I felt helpless," said Dorris.
Dorris told CBS13 that other officers made comments about his appearance, put anti-Asian stickers on his locker and that supervisors mocked him with slurs and accents. The incidents, he says, go as far back as 2007 and 2008 and things got worse until he was fired.
"I was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and because of that I would have to deal with racial jokes regarding stereotypical things that describe Asians," Dorris told CBS13.
In a statement, the city of Folsom called the allegations part of a "retaliatory lawsuit" filed by Dorris, who was fired for misconduct in January 2022.
CBS13 obtained a copy of an arbitrator's findings on Dorris' firing. Nearly 30 pages outline the positions of both sides, shedding light on why Dorris was fired. The arbitrator held up the city's decision that Dorris sent racist texts, discriminatory towards black people, and was dishonest. A third incident of "serious misconduct" is included in this document but is redacted.
The police department is not commenting on any of the lawsuits. Under California's Fair Employment and Housing Act, part of the process to file a discrimination complaint against an employer is getting a "right to sue" letter. The letter shows that employees have exhausted administrative remedies and are left with no other choice than to file a lawsuit to resolve the case.
