According to the suit, Jones "followed the policies and procedures" for complaints to DPD throughout that summer but was met with little to no help from the higher-ups, who opted to "stay out of it" or advised her to contact them personally outside of the office. Once her complaints became known throughout the ranks, Jones alleges, the retaliation began in force, with her colleagues and superiors falsely accusing her of things and threatening to write her up. In the suit, Jones says one sergeant "wrote the words 'yes sir' on a piece of paper and told [Jones] that she must always address him this way." Jones is still employed by DPD but has been transferred from detention services to the police property division, per the complaint.
The suit comes with right-to-sue notices from both the Texas Workforce Commission's Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, both of which have closed their respective files on the investigation. The suit comes just a week after two women filed suit against the city, accusing Dallas Fire and Rescue employees of
sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation. A 2009 sexual
harassment suit against DFR, filed by Leanne Siri, has yet to be
resolved.
Jones' lawyer declined to speak on the record. We're awaiting comment from city representatives, who hadn't seen the suit when asked for comment.
