Connecticut Town Settles Police Discrimination Case

The town of Greenwich, Connecticut has agreed to pay $887,000 to settle a racial discrimination lawsuit involving several minority police officers.

Town officials revealed the terms of the settlement after the Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the deal.

Insurance will cover the cost.

Five officers will split $167,649.

Lewis Chimes, an attorney who represented the five officers and three others who were not awarded damages by a jury, will receive $631,351. The balance of $88,000 pays court costs and expert fees.

The lawsuit was filed in 2006 by the officers, who said they endured a hostile work environment and were held back from special assignments because of racial bias.

A jury in July found the town allowed a policy or practice of discrimination on the basis of race.

Latest Comments

• December 30, 2009 at 4:33 am

  matt says:

  The lawyer is getting almost four times as much as all of the plaintiffs combined? At $500 an hour that's more than 1,250 billable hours. And paid by the insurance company? I ... read more
• December 30, 2009 at 2:23 am

  youngin' says:

  You see, if the minority police officers had received too large a settlement, the white police officers would have sued for REVERSE discrimination. So the lawyer had to take ... read more
• December 30, 2009 at 1:39 am

  wudchuck says:

  here's the problem: "Five officers will split $167,649. Lewis Chimes, an attorney who represented the five officers and three others who were not awarded damages by a jury, wi... read more