An African American firefighter filed a lawsuit against the city on Monday, alleging he repeatedly faced discrimination and retaliation while working at a fire station in South Los Angeles.
Emanuel Brown, a 10-year employee, said the mistreatment began Easter Sunday in 2017, when he found feces in a compartment where he stored his jacket and breathing apparatus. The department has had a history of incidents of fecal matter being used in the harassment of black firefighters, he said in his lawsuit. Brown, 40, discussed the incident with his colleagues and reported it to a captain outside his station, which triggered an internal personnel complaint, according to his filing. Several months later, Brown informed his colleagues he planned to discuss his situation with The Times.