Calif. Detectives Get $2.5M in Gender, Retaliation Suit

Three Los Angeles police detectives have won $2.5 million in a gender discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against LAPD supervisors.

A jury deliberated only a few hours before returning the verdict last week.

The Los Angeles Times says Peter Bakotich, Michael Fanning and Debbie Guerrero were senior detectives in the Fugitive Warrants Section when the incidents occurred.

Bakotich spoke up to disagree with Lt. Natalie Cortez during a training exercise and she angrily rebuked the detective in front of other officers.

The lawsuit says Cortez told Guerrero she wanted only women officers to fill night supervisor assignments and she directed Guerrero to spy on male detectives.

Bakotich was eventually assigned to a desk job.

Fanning and Guerrero went to a supervisor to defend Bakotich and they were eventually transferred.