Jury Awards Former Southern California Police Dispatcher $315K
A police dispatcher in Southern California who alleges she was fired for reporting an officer accused of raping and sexually assaulting other dispatchers has been awarded more than $315,000.
The Sun reported a jury’s verdict was decided in favor of Jolee Berdnik, former Fontana Unified School District, late last week following a month-long trial.
In her 2012 lawsuit, Berdnik claimed she was let go in retaliation for reporting officer John Garcia’s alleged conduct to her superiors.
Garcia was fired following an investigation into the allegations, but he never faced criminal charges. His attorney couldn’t be reached for comment Monday.