SAN GABRIEL, Calif. (AP) — Five current and former Asian American police officers are suing the Los Angeles suburb of San Gabriel, alleging they are subjected to a hostile work environment and passed over for promotions.
The Los Angeles Times reported on Nov. 23 that the officers claim their colleagues frequently mock them by speaking in fake Asian accents and promoting racist stereotypes.
The lawsuit says when there’s a car-crash Asian American officers are often told their “people” are bad drivers.
A Vietnamese American officer says he was told dogs fear him because they think he will eat them.
Another officer says he was passed over for a promotion after reporting a colleague used the N-word.
San Gabriel spokesman Jonathan Fu says officials are reviewing the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages.
Sixty-two percent of the city’s 40,000 residents are Asian.