Black Police Officers Sue UW, Claiming Racist Harassment: Report

SEATTLE — Five Black police officers are filing a lawsuit against the University of Washington, alleging that the Seattle campus' police department fostered a racist work environment that made conditions 'unbearable', according to a report from The New York Times.

The group is reportedly seeking $8 million in damages, claiming that department leadership knew about malicious harassment of Black officers, but refused to intervene. Some, they claim, even took part.

“I can’t sleep sometimes,” Officer Russell Ellis told the New York Times. “This has affected me in ways that I couldn’t have imagined.”

In the Times' report, Ellis recalls a situation where a senior officer offered him a watermelon flavored energy drink and invoked a tired racial stereotype, saying “I thought all you guys like watermelon and Popeyes chicken.”

Another Officer, Karinn Young, told the Times she sometimes found bananas placed outside her work locker, once with a note that called her a "monkey." Other complaints alleged in the lawsuit include reports of other officers freely using racial slurs, officers saying that George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police officers in 2020, "got what he deserved," the Times reported.

University officials told the New York Times they were "stunned" by the allegations and claimed they were unaware of any issues with the campus police department. The University of Washington's Police Department itself has not responded to the news. The department's home page opens with a statement addressing racism, reading in part:

"Racism in every form must be addressed and eliminated, both in policing and from our community, so all of us can live without fear of discrimination. We will not just be by-standers. It starts with internal discussions, community meetings, further educating ourselves and making active and open stands against racism. We seek every opportunity to listen to you and to be transparent with you about our work."

The campus police department employs just 22 officers, and 11 supervisors and commanders, the Times reports.

>> Read the full report in The New York Times.