Views of Sex Harassment in LAPD Vary

Several current and former Los Angeles Police Department officers testified at City Hall Wednesday that the force remains rampant with sexual harassment--including retaliation against those who complain--but other female officers said the situation is no worse than any other large organization.

“I had an officer who would not leave me alone. I complained, as I believed I was supposed to do, and this officer just made my life miserable,” said Virginia Acevedo, a veteran officer who left the LAPD several years ago and has sued the city.

“He personally assaulted me, verbally, physically. At a public restaurant, I had a balloon figure with [replicas of male genitalia] shoved into my face. He subjected me to comments that I don’t even want to bring to this council room.”

Despite Acevedo’s emotional testimony, and similar stories presented by Sgt. Kristine Kenney and Officer Johneen Jones, the women’s coordinator at the LAPD and the only female member of the police union’s board of directors, as well as two other female officers all said they believe complaints are handled fairly.

“I’m not going to sit here and say we don’t have sexual discrimination or sexual harassment,” said Det. Deborah Gonzales. “What I am going to say is that it occurs no more here than any other place where men and women work together.”