A jury has awarded two Los Angeles Police Department bloodhound handlers more than $4 million each for the reprisals they faced after reporting that a supervisor was sexually harassing their female colleague.
The female officer who was harassed—Karolin Clarke, who has since retired—was given a $1.6-million settlement in a separate case. Jurors deliberated for only about half a day before awarding Officer Elliot Zibli $4.4 million and Officer David Dooros $4.2 million, reports the Los Angeles Times.
For months, starting in 2015, the two Los Angeles Police Department bloodhound handlers saw their supervisor harass their female colleague.
When they complained on the woman’s behalf, Officers Elliot Zibli and David Dooros suffered backlash so severe that they feared for their safety. They said they were denied tactical bloodhound training, and weren’t given adequate equipment and support during searches for violent suspects.
Eventually, Zibli resigned. Dooros is still on the force.
The supervisor, meanwhile, was transferred to the internal affairs group, the division that investigates officer misconduct. He remains with the department.
