Airport Officer Accuses City of Discrimination

Correction/clairfication: This story was updated at 1:30 p.m. to correct and clarify Vonnell Adams' job description and employment status with the city of Santa Monica.

A jury trial was underway today in a Santa Monica Airport services officer's federal civil rights suit against the city, which claims he was harrassed and discriminated against because of his race and gender.

Vonnell Adams, 56, is seeking more than $25,000 in damanges stemming from losses in earnings and job benefits after receiving what he said were unfair job performance reviews and after being denied a promotion at the Santa Monica Airport substation.

The suit accuses the city of not taking "all reasonable" steps to prevent discrimination against Adams. The city, according to court documents, has denied all of Adams' claims and contends the decision not to promote him was based on other, legal reasons

If Adams—who has worked at the airport for 17 years—wins his case, it will be up to the jury to determine compensation.

Several sergeants, lieutenants and a captain from the Santa Monica Police Department are expected to testify, as are employees who claim they were retaliated against for agreeing to serve as witnesses for Adams.

In the spring of 2010, Adams said he obtained a "right to sue notice" from the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing after he was denied a promotion to Lead Airport Security Officer at the substation. Adams claims his sergeant didn't follow city procedures, including not interviewing him despite having passed a written exam, during the hiring process in 2009.

But Adams alleges the discrimination began years earlier in 2003, when he filed a separate complaint the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission about "unfair treatment he received from his then-supervisor," namely that he was earning $20,000 less than the minimum salary publicized for sworn officers.

That claim was rejected by a judge who said the statue of limitations has run out, and although the initial court filing states that Adams himself is a sworn police officer, the Santa Monica Police Department refutes that.

"He is supervised by the police department, but he is a civilian," said police department spokesman Richard Lewis.

The department supervises dozens of civilians hired for patrol positions, such as the service officers who issue traffic citations for parking violations. At the airport, service officers such as Adams coordinate operations with the Federal Aviation Administration.

After filing the complaint, Adams said he was refused opportunities to train new hires. Additionally, he said he was criticized for not performing activities that aren't required of him or any other officer at the Santa Monica Airport substation, such as sweeping the runway.

In the suit, Adams said he was told that his "failure to assist the runway sweeping crew was an example of [him] showing a 'lack of initiative' and 'weakness' in his 'ability to work independently.' Such critiques, he said, "are clearly racial stereotypes."

And, such action, Adams alleges, "constitute a custom, policy, pattern and practice discriminating against African-American employees on the basis of race."

The trial is expected to last four days.