Columbus City Council to Settle Discrimination Lawsuit with Former Police Sergeant for $750,000
Columbus City Council is poised to settle a lawsuit with former police sergeant Brooke Wilson, who accused the Division of Police of discrimination based on race, age, and gender. Wilson, a white male, alleged that he was wrongly accused of using a racial slur by a young Black female cadet during the Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020. The police investigation upheld the allegations, leading to Wilson's demotion and reassignment. Wilson retired in August 2021 and filed a lawsuit in December 2022. The city has decided to settle for $750,000 due to pre-trial rulings that excluded key evidence, increasing financial risk to taxpayers.