Park police officers in Maryland suspended after colleague complains of racist texts
“Joke, don’t turn these texts over” and “get me fired for hate speech!” Harvey said in one message, according to the lawsuit. In another text, she allegedly explained her offensive comments by saying, “Because I’m racist … a misogynist too … or maybe a homophobe … I check all the boxes.”
After Miles, who joined the force in 2019, complained about the conduct of his day shift colleagues in the Montgomery division, he was removed from Shift 5 and assigned “to a less desirable night shift,” the lawsuit says. It also cites an incident in which Miles was responding to a high-risk traffic stop and called for backup but was “informed and believes that nobody from Shift 5 immediately responded to his call. Instead Montgomery County police responded first.
Harvey could not be located for comment Thursday and has not responded to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland. Her attorney, Martin Oliverio, declined to comment. Jay Holland, a lawyer for Miles, said Harvey is among the officers who remain suspended after an internal investigation sparked by the complaints from Miles to park police officials last year.
The lawsuit cites violations of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 because Miles was an alleged victim of racial discrimination, a hostile work environment and retaliation. Calista Black, a spokeswoman for the parks commission, said the commission had no comment on the lawsuit beyond the police statement.
Jonathan Ness, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 30, the labor union representing park police officers in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, said the union “works tirelessly to see that all members are treated fairly, have the best possible work environment and are afforded their due process rights. We are refraining from making comments prior to the conclusion of trial boards.” He also declined to say how many officers have been suspended.
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