Three women who work for the Metropolitan Police Department are suing the District and Mayor Muriel Bowser's office, alleging sexual harassment and bullying while on the job.
Those three women told News4's Aimee Cho that they were very nervous to come forward and file the lawsuit, because they still work for MPD. But with supervisors that allegedly either did nothing or retaliated against them when they complained, they say they're tired of living in fear.
The women are suing the District and the mayor's office for sexual harassment and gender discrimination, asking for damages of $2 million each.
In the lawsuit, they allege an "old boys club" culture at D.C. police, with systemic bullying and retaliation.
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
They also describe how supervisors allegedly tried to date and harass the employees, telling News4 about some of the inappropriate comments they allegedly received from higher-ranking officers.
"Like, little things of how he was so unhappy with his wife, who lives at home with him, she wasn't having sex with him, how he finds me attractive, and how he wants to take me out," said Brandy Smith, an officer with the MPD.
"He started threatening me with... if you tell that I did this, that and the third, I'll make sure you're fired."
Diana Walker, another officer with the MPD, had a similar story.
"I've been dealing with sexual harassment basically my whole career," she said. "Nothing ever gets done. I feel like it's always sweeped under the rug."
That lack of help — and active harm, in some cases — takes a mental toll.
"To know that you made a complaint and no one, no one from the agency reached out to me, was — it's been very difficult, stressful," said Karen Ervin, a customer service representative for the MPD.
News4 has reached out to D.C. police, the mayor's office and the office of attorney general for comment, and is still waiting to hear back.
