A Miami Police veteran is speaking out and suing the city, alleging her boss made racist comments and demoted her after she raised concerns.
“I’m just fighting to protect the rights of equality in the workplace, and these rights are sacred and non-negotiable,” said Lieutenant Weslyne Lewis Francois, an 18-year veteran of the force in a prepared statement during a press event on Monday, CBS Miami reports.
Lewis Francois, who remains on the force, is suing for discrimination and retaliation, seeking at least $1 million in damages and a jury trial. Her lawsuit alleges retaliation and discrimination based on her race, ethnicity, and gender. She has also filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to The Miami Herald.
While she didn’t take questions during the event, her statement made it clear where she stands. “I believe no person should ever tolerate being disrespected or discriminated against based on who they are, what they look like, what they represent, or the color of their skin,” she said.
The story goes back to when Lewis Francois was commander of Miami PD’s Coconut Grove District four years ago. She says the community supported her, but according to her lawsuit, things were different inside the department. She alleges that Chief Manny Morales criticized her hairstyle and told her to “tone down her look as it would not be accepted by the Coconut Grove community.”
“(Chief Morales was) referring to the fact that she is a Black, Haitian, Bahamian female and that’s how she looks,” said her attorney, Michael Pizzi. “There’s nothing wrong with that. That is a very racist comment.”
Pizzi didn’t hold back as he explained what happened next. According to him, when Lewis Francois objected to the comments, the retaliation began.
“After she objected to the racist comments, they placed her under the supervision of a Major who had been accused by the civilian investigative panel of using the ‘N’ word,” Pizzi said. “Then they humiliated her publicly.”
Pizzi said the retaliation didn’t stop there. Lewis Francois lost her role leading the honor guard and was later demoted from Commander to Lieutenant, a move that he claims cost her $30,000 to $50,000 annually.
The lawsuit also accuses Chief Morales of targeting her with reprimands, including ordering her to complete assignments while she was on approved leave or sick.
CBS News Miami says the police department has not yet responded to the allegations. However, the city’s legal department issued a statement: “Ms. Lewis’ complaint is merely an attempt to obtain payment from the city for a position she no longer holds. The city looks forward to challenging her false allegations in court.”
Pizzi pushed back strongly on that response.
“When someone complains about racism or being told they don’t have the right look, and the city’s response is to dismiss it as being all about money, that speaks volumes about why serious changes are needed at the top of that department,” he said.