New sexual harassment allegations made the veteran Philadelphia Police Commissioner to resign in order to deal with the complications of a trial.
Roos was named in a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that an old affair caused bad judgment on sexual harassment complaints.
In an unexpected move that caused a city-wide big surprise, Mayor Jim Kenney announced the immediate resignation of Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross.
Kenney said late Tuesday afternoon that new sexual harassment allegations had surfaced within the department, as well as allegations of racial and gender discrimination. Although “those accusations do not accuse Commissioner Ross,” his resignation was in “the best interest of the department,” according to a press release from the mayor’s office.
New controversial cases have come to light and directly impact the Department headed hours ago by Richadrd Ross.
According to local media reports, Officer Jennifer Allen and Corporal Audra McCowan filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city in July, naming Ross and 10 other officers as defendants. In April, both officers filed discrimination charges with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to the lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, McCowan alleges that she informed Ross about the harassment months before to filing, and he failed to act- as retribution for a frustrated love affair between the two – according to the suit.
The police department has not made a public statement yet.
Deputy Commissioner Christine M. Coulter, a 30-year veteran in the department, will serve as acting commissioner while the administration looks for Ross’ replacement. She was also named as a defendant in the civil rights suit.
The leader of the Philadelphia police union said he was sad to hear about the resignation.
“The commissioner has served in every rank of the department and is a shining example that hard work and dedication can lead you to the top of your profession. We will miss his passion and guidance for this great police department,” said FOP Lodge #5 President John McNesby.”
A pioneering female officer
Coulter, who will be acting commissioner, is a Northeast Philadelphia native. She started in the 25th district, when women were a relative rarity in the police force.
“When I was a kid, we didn’t have women police officers in Philadelphia,” Coulter told CBS3 in 2017. “It wasn’t until I was in my 20s that I thought this was something I would like to do.”
Coulter has been a Philly cop for three decades, serving in patrol, narcotics intelligence, investigations and special patrol — and she has worked as a faculty member in the graduate program of public safety at Saint Joseph’s University.
Coulter was promoted to deputy commissioner for organizational services in 2014, and became a three-star deputy two years ago.
Before that, she was on the Northwestern University police force and earned a master’s in public safety from Saint Joe’s.
This is a breaking story and will be updated with new details as they emerge.
Translated by: José Espinoza
Noticias Newswire
