Ex-UC Santa Cruz Police Officer Awarded $7 Million in Racial Discrimination Suit
The officer previously worked for the San Jose Police Department for 25 years and had no prior disciplinary measures against him.
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SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — A jury ordered the University of California to pay $7 million in damages to a former UC Santa Cruz Police Department lieutenant who alleges he was fired because he is Black.
A jury delivered a unanimous verdict in favor of Glenn Harper who sued the UC Regents in 2019, claiming his race “was a substantial motivating reason” for his 2017 firing, East Bay Times reports. The jury deliberated for three hours, concluding the university wrongfully and discriminately terminated Harper.
According to the lawsuit, Harper was terminated for yelling at a sergeant who had “botched” a firearms investigation. The lawsuit said the sergeant filed multiple reports against Harper in retaliation.
“This was the sort of case that ordinarily would result in a reprimand or maybe a one-day suspension,” Stern said.
Harper’s “excessively punitive” firing showed racial bias because the sergeant, who is White, allegedly lied about him and was only ordered to get counseling, the lawsuit said. Harper also said in the lawsuit that he had been one of only five Black sworn police officers at UC Santa Cruz since the department was formed in 1965.
Scott Hernandez-Jason, assistant vice-chancellor of communications at UC Santa Cruz, alleges Harper was terminated due to “multiple instances of unprofessional conduct.”
“UC Santa Cruz expects its employees to perform their duties in a professional and respectful manner that promotes a healthy campus climate for students and staff, and campus leadership remains committed to its efforts to recruiting and retaining a diverse and talented workforce,” he said. “The university is considering its options for appeal.”
Harper served with the San Jose Police Department for 25 years before retiring as a lieutenant. He came out of retirement after being recruited by UCSC Police Chief Nader Oweis, KSBW reports. Harper had no previous disciplinary measures against him, according to the suit.
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About the Author
Amy Rock, Executive Editor
Amy is Campus Safety’s Executive Editor. Prior to joining the editorial team in 2017, she worked in both events and digital marketing.
Amy has many close relatives and friends who are teachers, motivating her to learn and share as much as she can about campus security. She has a minor in education and has worked with children in several capacities, further deepening her passion for keeping students safe.
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