City Settles Dispute with 125 Police Officers
February 19, 2009
Ontario, CA -The city announced Tuesday that it has agreed to pay $2.75 million to 125 police officers over allegations that the Police Department unlawfully set a surveillance camera in the locker room of its officers in 1996.
In the announcement of the settlement, the city stated that it was avoiding a costly hearing scheduled to begin this week.
According to a prepared statement, "Ontario officials denounce what occurred 13 years ago and current city officials would not allow such behavior to be repeated".
The police officers, which are being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, filed a class-action lawsuit against the city last 2004.
The surveillance camera was set up in an internal investigation over the stealing of a flashlight. It caught 125 police officers wearing underwear and towels, although no one were totally undressed. The camera was discovered in 2003 but it was already too late to pursue criminal charges as the statute of limitations had expired.
The settlement will be divided among the police officers, as approved by the City Council.
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