“I worked hard for the city of Dayton for 17 years, and I never got any discipline until I started complaining about the unfair treatment I was receiving,” Lamanna said in a prepared statement.
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This news organization has reached out to the city for comment and will update when more information is available.
The city terminated Lamanna on Oct. 3, alleging that she was untruthful and filed false documents, according to a release from Columbus firm Walton + Brown, LLP, which is representing Lamanna in her civil lawsuit.
Some of the same men who are the subject of Lamanna’s civil complaint were responsible for bringing the charges against her that led to her firing, Walton + Brown says.
Lamanna was the first female ever in the patrol operations division of the K-9 Unit, her attorney states.
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According to Walton + Brown, Lamanna became a canine handler in 2011, after filing a charge of discrimination with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, alleging she was subjected to inappropriate question, such as what she would do if she got pregnant.
Lamanna’s lawsuit, which seeks in excess of $75,000 in damages, claims she was not being hired for jobs for which she was the most qualified.
Lamanna also “has been subjected to harassment since she initially filed her first complaint” and “the harassment intensified” regarding the civil service exam, according to her federal complaint.
MORE: Highest-ranking black, female Dayton officer alleges discrimination
Lamanna plans to appeal her termination and will also file a charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for wrongful termination, according to her attorneys.
The Dayton Police Department’s highest-ranking black, female officer also has sued the department for allegedly engaging in discriminatory practices. The officer is also being represented by Walton +Brown.
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