MILWAUKEE, April 6 (UPI) -- The same federal jury that found former Milwaukee police chief Arthur Jones discriminated against 17 white male lieutenants has awarded them $2.2 million.
The Milwaukee Police Department and Jones were found to have engaged in reverse discrimination in promotions to captain in a month-long trial. Jones made 41 promotions to captain over the seven years he served as police chief. Twenty-one were white men, and the 20 others were women and minorities.
The 17 white male plaintiff's filed a lawsuit accusing Jones of bias in 2003 and a jury last week found they had been wrongly passed over for promotion in favor of less-qualified women and minority candidates.
Individual officers were awarded compensatory damages ranging from $9,500 to $50,000 and punitive damages of $102,000 each. They also may be entitled to back pay, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said the city may appeal.
