Nebraska Captain Claims He was Victim of Retaliation

A Lincoln, Nebraska fire captain who claims he has been subjected to retaliation since he reported the harassment of recruits in 2011, has filed suit in federal court. Troy Hurd filed suit in US District court last Friday against the City of Lincoln, Public Safety Director Tom Casady, Fire Chief John Huff, Assistant Chief Pat Borer, Division Chief Roger Bonin, retired Battalion Chief Jeanne PashaJek, and Battalion Chief Leo Benes.

Hurd claims he was subjected to a series of disciplinary charges after he complained about instructors harassing recruits on the basis of their gender and national origin.

According to the complaint, the events that triggered Hurd’s complaint consisted of him overhearing an instructor telling a female recruit of Kurdish decent to “[g]o sit the fuck down!” and asking her “Do you need a fucking interpreter?”

The complaint goes on to list a series of minor writes up Hurd was given by various officers over the intervening years, culminating in him being passed over for promotion to battalion chief in 2015.

Here is a copy of the complaint: Hurd v Lincoln