Claims against Yakima police chief mount

Two more Yakima police officers -- a sergeant and a captain -- have filed legal claims against the city, claiming that police Chief Sam Granato has subjected them to discrimination and other workplace problems.

Sgt. Brenda George and Capt. Rod Light are the highest-ranking members of the department to bring claims against Granato so far. Four other claims have been filed by officers and a civilian employee.

Assistant city manager Dave Zabell said Thursday that city officials are still evaluating both claims and have not taken any action on them.

The city has 60 days from the filing date to respond; if it is denied, George and Light may proceed with a lawsuit.

Light's claim alleges that Granato retaliated against him after he reported misconduct in 2006. The claim does not give details. But both George and Light were involved in a workplace issue involving Crystal Dodge, a former civilian police employee who recently settled her lawsuit against the city.

Dodge alleged that Ben Hittle, now a retired police officer, repeatedly mocked her speech impediment when they worked at the Police Athletic League youth center and that police officials didn't do enough to stop it.

Supervisors, including Granato, have said they rebuked Hittle. But two separate outside investigators commissioned by the city concluded that command staff did not adequately investigate Dodge's complaints.

In her claim, George alleges that Granato discriminated against her for her role in reporting Hittle's mistreatment of Dodge.

Hittle and Granato are close friends. And officers have said in the past that their relationship was one example that has led to a perception in the department that Granato favors some officers while targeting others. Granato has denied retaliation against anybody.

Appeals judges and a state labor panel have backed him up in the unrelated case of fired Officer Mike Rummel.

In her claim, George alleges that part of the retaliation by the chief involved her being reassigned in July 2006, from a job overseeing the PAL youth center to patrol.

That reassignment followed a March 2006 meeting in which George and other department supervisors advised Granato of concerns about Hittle's conduct toward Dodge.

George and Lt. Mike Merryman have said that they had warned Hittle to stop teasing Dodge and mocking her speech. Hittle denied being counseled, but he eventually agreed to apologize to Dodge.

The claim alleges that George was later denied a transfer into the detective division. Under a program instituted a couple of years before, sergeants were to be rotated into the slot based on seniority.

The Yakima police union has accused Granato of breaking labor laws concerning George's reassignment.

Granato has said he decided to leave the current detective sergeant in place -- instead of rotating him back to patrol, opening a position that George could fill -- because he had not overseen a major crime scene, among other factors.

A ruling from a hearing examiner for the Public Employment Relations Commission is pending.

Without going into detail, the claim also alleges that George was subjected to gender discrimination and "demeaning sexist comments" by Granato.

Both her claim and Light's were filed by Yakima attorney Bill Pickett, the same attorney who handled Dodge's claim, which was settled for $200,000.