Longtime trooper wins race discrimination case against state police

Lawsuits have been filed for years by minorities and women within the state police alleging discrimination when it comes to opportunities, promotions, and the troubling treatment they say they have received within the ranks.

He had a threat of discrimination thatfollowed him throughout his career.

Thethreat of discrimination that weavedthroughout the career of this retiredsergeant who wore the uniform of theMassachusetts State Police for 32 yearstake center stage.

In this case filedwith the Massachusetts CommissionAgainst Discrimination, Cleve Coatessays it all began as a young kid editthe academy when drill instructors madehim and other black recruits dressed aswaiters and served their whiteclassmates at a candlelit dinner.

Heloved his job.

He enjoyed his job.There was also times that he sufferedthrough what he was being put through.Attorney Lisa Broader McGann representsCoats and a handful of other minorityand female troopers who claim they'vebeen passed over for jobs, even thoughthey were more qualified than theirwhite male counterparts and targetedbecause of their age and race.

Later inhis career, while Sergeant Coats wasassigned to the security unit forGovernor Deval Patrick, Ah, whitecommander, called Coats Gradyrepeatedly a reference to a disheveledblack character in the 19 seventiessitcom Sanford and Son.

I'm 65 yearsold.

Sergeant Coats was extremelyhumiliated and offended and disgustedby those comments.

At age 57 Coats wastaken out of the governor's protectionunit and moved into a job he wasn'tqualified for.

That open job was neverposted and was filled by a youngerwhite trooper.

The commission foundCleave Coats was discriminated againstbased on his race and his age.

Monthsafter that, m.

C.

A.

De decision.

Thedepartment fired back with this letterfrom Governor Patrick, saying herequested Coats transfer, calling him aweek performer, despite testimony fromothers that Coats had excellent reviewsand was well liked.

The case shining alight on the chronic lack of diversitywithin Massachusetts State police dataand records obtained by fiveInvestigates show 88% of the swornmembers are white, 95% male, with asprinkling of minorities and a handfulof women.

We need to doom or toe bringmore minorities on the job, and throughthe years that has not happened,Lieutenant Carmelo I use So has been onthe job for more than three decades.It's something that bothers not just me,but most of the minorities on the job.When they see that we're not, we're notadvancing at a rate that we should and,you know, party has to do with thetesting system, the lack of minoritieson the job and participating in theprocess.

State police tell us they'reworking to recruit in urban areas andto build a department that reflects thecommunities they serve.

The most recentgraduating class was the most diversein department history, with minoritiesmaking up 23% and women seven still along way to go to bridge the racialdivide.

Unless they do something tobolster the confidence of with thesewomen and minorities, you're not gonnahave any faces in the state.

Policeother than white men and the M.

C A.

Dordered state police training on racialand age discrimination and $1.2 millionin damages and legal costs.

Fur coats.State police have an appeal pending onthose damages and no comment fromGovernor Patrick on his letter.

CathyCarne, five, investigates