GLENDALE—Four Armenian police officers and one former officer filed a suit against the Glendale Police Department alleging discrimination and harassment, reported the the attorney representing the plaintiffs in the case.
The Glendale News Press on Tuesday identified the plaintiffs as officers John Balian and Robert Parseghian; sergeants Vahak Mardikian and Tigran Topadzhikyan; and former Officer Benny Simonzad.
In a statement, Carney Shegarian, of the Santa Monica-based Shegarian and Associates, said the suit alleges systemic and continuous discriminatory, harassing and retaliatory conduct based on ethnicity. The lawsuit alleges that Armenian civilians have been consistently mistreated by this police department responsible for policing Glendale.
“In this day and age, it’s remarkable the Glendale Police Department has allowed itself to systemically discriminate against an ethic group that, in large part, fled their homelands to avoid ethic persecution,” said Shegerian.
City Atty. Scott Howard rebuffed the claims made in the lawsuit, saying, “There are many allegations in the complaint, which are absolutely, utterly false,” reported the Glendale News Press.
I think its funny how this is all that has been published. The last time I step foot in glendale I saw some shady business with the police. They were caucasian, and threatened me just because I am a witness.
It is very sad that in this day an age such incidences occur.From the city attorney’s statement that”There are many allegations which are absolutely false”,it opens the logical door That “Some of the allegations are true!”In any public safety department the officers are held to a higher standard.However if THEY the department is allowing such incidences then the department managers/commanders are not suitable for their positions.
There should be an independent outside investigation of these allegations.Perhaps the US dept.of justice will be a suitable department.
It is absolutely sad.. I agree Greg…
And believe me.. this discrimination does exist..I have witnessed it myself..if it was someone else telling me, I would not believe it..however, it happens and it happened at the karate tournament that took place in Vegas.. you should have seen how unfair and unjust the judges were juding the Armenian contestants.. Every point was given to the opponent no matter how well the Armenian contestant did.. it was in plain sight..everyone to see…however, no one did anything until we could not take it anymore.. we start complaining to the manager, and voicing our disappointment, and threatening to withdraw all the children involved in the tournament, they finally changes judges around but still did not solve the problem.. Many of our children lost the competition because the judges gave the NON-Armenians more points.. We are planning to write a complaint letter to the organizors of this event.. We will not allow this to happen next year..
I am glad to see our officers are standing up to protect our people.. this is not to say that our youth did not do their share by planting the seed in the minds of the Police Department for being loud, rude, distractive..however, this does not give them the right to discriminate just because someone is Armenian.. it is a shame that if our govt entities are doing this.. what do you expect from regular civilians?
Hope that they get their punishment and realize that treating one group of people who created and beautified their City of Glendale was not the right thing to do.. Without the Armenians, this city would have been a dump…
G
well it’s about time! seen it heard it and experienced it first hand, very sad but true. But i was still hoping they have changed but i guess not, hopefully we get some justice for our officers and our community.