Cathy Lanier: My Story of Workplace Harassment As a Police Officer
In a Nutshell
Cathy Lanier endured severe sexual harassment from a lieutenant after filing a formal complaint, including immediate retaliation and a breach of confidentiality that isolated her on the job. Despite winning her case on the merits, the department’s procedural failure allowed the harasser to avoid discipline, and she was warned she would never advance beyond captain due to his political connections. Her career only progressed when an outside chief took over and promoted her rapidly based on merit rather than internal politics.
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In the early 1990s, the police department was approximately 85% African-American, while the city was about 89% African-American. There were very few white females on the force. Women comprised about 11% of a department that had 5,200 officers when Cathy Lanier joined. Sexual harassment was commonplace and not discussed or treated as an issue. Officers simply worked through it daily. Lanier grew up with two older brothers who gave her advice on how to navigate these situations.
Lanier quickly established herself as a hard worker who did not need special treatment or partners, preferring to work independently. Once promoted to sergeant, the harassment intensified significantly. A lieutenant engaged in physical sexual harassment, including closing the door in a sergeant's office on the midnight shift and putting hands on female officers. Lanier told her boyfriend she could handle verbal comments but refused to tolerate physical contact.
Lanier was assigned to patrol Southeast Washington on permanent nights. The lieutenant called her on the radio constantly, forced her to drive him around in his cruiser, brought her to the office, and prevented her from doing her job. After several requests for him to stop and encouragement from a fellow sergeant who asked how long she would allow it to continue, she filed a formal sexual harassment complaint with the EEO office. She listed 17 witnesses who had observed the harassment, which the lieutenant made no effort to hide.
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