ST. LOUIS (CN) - A federal judge who presided over the jury trial that awarded $620,000 to a white cop said that the St. Louis police chief and two commanders must attend anti-discrimination training.
The Tuesday ruling by U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry comes about eight months after a jury awarded former Sgt. David Bonenberger $620,000. Bonenberger had sued the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department in 2012 after he was allegedly told not to apply for an assistant director opening because the position was going to a black woman.
In an order that became public Wednesday, Perry ordered Police Chief Sam Dotson, Lt. Michael Muxo and Lt. Col. Reggie Harris to "undergo anti-discrimination training for at least one session lasting three hours during each of calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016."
Dan Isom had been chief when Bonenberger sued, but Perry ordered Isom's successor Dotson to attend the training anyway.
Bonenberger's attorney, Lynette Petruska, called the order a victory.
"We're very pleased with the order and the clear mandate that discrimination in the Police Department won't be tolerated by the courts," Petruska told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The St. Louis police department declined comment to the Post-Dispatch.
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