BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A former Bakersfield Fire Department captain has been awarded $700,000 by a Kern County jury after filing a lawsuit against the city alleging racial discrimination and retaliation.
After more than 30 years of service, former Captain Quincy Sloan said he filed the lawsuit in 2020 to hold department leadership accountable for what he described as years of unequal treatment.
“Along with those good years came challenges, including discriminatory and harassment practices that no dedicated public servant should ever face,” Sloan said.
According to the lawsuit, Sloan was the first Black firefighter in the department’s history to reach the top spot on the battalion chief eligibility list. Court filings allege that despite earning the highest ranking, he was repeatedly passed over for promotion while lower-ranked candidates advanced.
“It was like going to work naked. Everyone else had clothes on — I had none. I felt humiliated,” Sloan said.The suit also claimed that Sloan faced unfair discipline based on both his race and his religion as a Jehovah’s Witness.
After a nine-week trial, a jury of 12 found the city failed to prevent race discrimination within the department and awarded Sloan $700,000 in damages.
Sloan’s attorney, Nancy Doumanian, urged the city not to appeal the verdict.
“Appealing only prolongs the harm and deepens the divide,” Doumanian said. “It’s time to honor the verdict and bring closure.”
Sloan, who retired in May, said he hopes his case will lead to lasting change within the department.
“All I’ve tried to do is make sure this attitude or the way employees are treated changes,” he said. “It doesn’t matter your color or gender — just dignify your employees.”
City officials and the Bakersfield Fire Department declined to comment on the verdict.
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