POLICE Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

MO Officer Told to 'Tone Down' Gayness Gets $10.25M Settlement

St. Louis County agreed to a $10.25 million settlement with an officer now promoted to lieutenant who had been passed over for promotion and sued the county in a workplace discrimination case.

February 11, 2020
MO Officer Told to 'Tone Down' Gayness Gets $10.25M Settlement

The county agreed to pay Lt. Keith Wildhaber $7 million within 60 days, and another $3.25 million by Jan. 31, 2021.

Credit:

Image: KMOV video screenshot

St. Louis County agreed on Monday to a $10.25 million settlement with a gay police lieutenant who had sued the county in a workplace discrimination case.

A jury in St. Louis County Circuit Court on Oct. 23 awarded Keith Wildhaber nearly $20 million after testimony revealing that commanders passed him over for promotion 23 times and transferred him to a precinct far from his home in retaliation for filing a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch .

Ad Loading...

Related: Gay Missouri Officer Awarded $19M in Discrimination Lawsuit


The agreement, hammered out during three mediation sessions stretched over three months, was finalized on Monday hours after St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar announced he is retiring from the department after six years as chief.

The county agreed to pay Wildhaber $7 million within 60 days, and another $3.25 million by Jan. 31, 2021. After his lawyers are paid, Wildhaber will clear $6.5 million.

After the lawsuit, Wildhaber was promoted to lieutenant and was named the commander of St. Louis County Police Department's new Diversity and Inclusion Unit, reports KMOV .

"This lawsuit acknowledges what Lt. Wildhaber survived in the police department and lets us move forward as a county," County Executive Sam Page said on Monday. "I think it's important to recognize that this sends a message to everyone in county government and to all of our employers in the St. Louis region, that discrimination will not be tolerated."

Ad Loading...

More Point of Law

patrolfinder - reducing crime thumbnail
SponsoredOctober 27, 2025

How One Police Department Cut Crime by 46% with Smarter Patrol Management

Discover how one police department cut crime nearly in half using smarter patrol data. This whitepaper breaks down the real-world strategy behind a 46% drop in vehicle thefts, improved officer safety, and stronger community visibility.

Read More →
Point of Law logo with scales of justice in metallic silver text
Patrolby Eric DaigleSeptember 1, 2025

Point of Law: The Limits of Electronic Searches

Can an individual be prosecuted for despicable criminal conduct based on evidence obtained in violation of the United States Constitution? Ultimately, the Ninth Circuit judges wrote, “In the circumstances of this case (United States v. Holcomb, 23-469 (9th Cir. 2025)), respect for the Constitution and the rule of law requires an answer of “no.”

Read More →
PatrolAugust 25, 2025

Trump Issues Order Cutting Federal Funding in Cashless Bail Jurisdictions

<strong>“</strong>Cashless bail policies allow dangerous individuals to immediately return to the streets and further endanger law-abiding, hard-working Americans because they know our laws will not be enforced,” the administration said.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Point of LawJuly 2, 2025

Justice Department Sues Los Angeles Over Sanctuary Policies

The DOJ said in a press release that the “sanctuary city” policies of the City of Los Angeles are illegal under federal law.

Read More →
Point of Lawby Kevin R. MadisonJune 20, 2025

Understanding Officer-Created Jeopardy

Officers can be criminally prosecuted for using force when their actions led to escalation during contact with subjects.

Read More →
Point of LawJune 18, 2025

Point of Law: The Limitations of Search Warrants

In the Tenth Circuit case of Cuervo v. Sorenson, the Court ruled officers cannot deviate from the language of the warrant.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Point of LawMay 21, 2025

DOJ Dismisses Consent Decrees Affecting Louisville and Minneapolis Police

The Civil Rights Division will be taking all necessary steps to dismiss the Louisville and Minneapolis lawsuits with prejudice, to close the underlying investigations into the Louisville and Minneapolis police departments.

Read More →
Point of LawApril 28, 2025

New Michigan Bill would Give Officers Civil Immunity in Self-Defense Cases

House Bill 4404 would create a presumption of civil immunity for individuals who are cleared criminally after using force in self-defense, shifting the burden of proof onto plaintiffs.

Read More →
Point of LawApril 8, 2025

Seattle to Pay Police Captain $1 Million to Settle Lawsuit

Seattle police Capt. Eric Greening sued former Chief Adrian Diaz last year alleging that Diaz retaliated when Greening brought up concerns about racial and gender discrimination.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Point of LawMarch 13, 2025

Washington Agencies Ordered to Not Delete Critical Facebook Contents

Jim Leighty, a local activist, filed two federal lawsuits last year claiming both agencies deleted or hid critical comments he had written below multiple posts, while keeping comments that were pro-police in nature.

Read More →