Four Los Angeles Police Department officers collectively awarded $14.6 million after alleging they were retaliated against for reporting serious safety hazards and issues at a firing range and armory are now jointly seeking nearly $4 million in attorneys’ fees.
The Los Angeles Superior Court panel found in favor of Officers Craig Burns, Alex Chan, Mark Hogan and Kristine Salazar in April after a multiple-day trial in the courtroom of Judge Kristin S. Escalante. In their court papers, attorneys for the city denied the LAPD retaliated or discriminated against the officers or that they suffered damages.
On Thursday, the officers’ lawyers filed court papers in advance of an Aug. 18 hearing asking that the judge grant $3.94 million in attorneys’ fees.
“The jury determined that plaintiffs proved they were unlawfully retaliated against by the department because they reported safety hazards and issues at the firing range and armory and that the department did not have independent, legitimate reasons for its adverse treatment of plaintiffs,” the officers’ attorneys state in their court papers.
All of the plaintiffs were employed by the LAPD for decades, received superior annual performance evaluations and were positively recognized for their excellent work,” the plaintiffs’ lawyers further state in their pleadings.
In late 2018 and early 2019, the officers told their supervising sergeants and a lieutenant that there were serious safety hazards and issues at the firing range and armory, according to the officers’ attorneys’ court papers. The issues included training deficiencies that violated regulations, deficient lead ventilation systems, unsafe pit doors, non-functioning targets that also produced bullet fragment ricochets and other OSHA violations, as well as the unlawful distribution of assault weapons and magazine systems, according to the plaintiffs’ attorneys’ pleadings.
In April 2019, each plaintiff who complained about the safety violations was removed from their positions at the same time, the officers’ attorneys contended in their pleadings. They suffered further backlashes in the form of downgrades, discipline, transfers to patrol and other assignments with no advance training or responsibilities, told to stay away from recruits as well as other adverse actions, the officers’ attorneys further stated in their court papers.
All four officers suffered significant pain and suffering damages due to the alleged retaliation, including losses of reputation and trust in the department and the derailment of their careers, each of which were on stable or upward tracks at the time, according to the plaintiffs’ lawyers’ pleadings.
Salazar started the litigation by suing in December 2019.