Lincoln Police Public Information Officer Erin Spilker is the third female police officer in the department to file a lawsuit against the City of Lincoln accusing discrimination, harassment and sexual assault. The complaint states that Spilker accusations date back to 2014. The assaults were not reported due to her fear of retaliation within the department.
This follows the complaints made by former Lincoln Police Officer Sarah Williams who complained about the work environment for women in 2018. She was awarded $65,000 in a lawsuit she filed against the city. In December of 2021, Angela Sands employment was terminated. Sands also spoke out about discrimination within the department.
KLIN News received this statement from LPD Chief Teresa Ewins Thursday afternoon.
As the Chief of the Lincoln Police Department, I was aware of pending complaints from members of the department prior to my appointment. We take these complaints and lawsuits very seriously. The Lincoln Police Department has investigated all complaints, regardless of when and where they occurred, that were brought to our attention with interviews of members of the organization and members of the public, review of records, and electronic data, when available. Speaking generically in regards to all the complaints and not to any one member of our department, where a violation was found, proper disciplinary action was taken by the department.
Officer Spilker is not the subject of any investigation. Previously, Officer Spilker filed a complaint with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a federal agency responsible for investigating complaints of workplace discrimination. The Lincoln Police Department provided a response to all of her allegations, to include documentation of our internal investigations. Before the EEOC’s investigation was complete, Office Spilker voluntarily withdrew her complaint in order to file a lawsuit in court. Now that this case is before a court of law, the City will defend the actions of this department and its members where appropriate, and disclose any actions taken.
The department has strong policies that prohibit misconduct, to include criminal actions, discrimination and harassment. The department provides mandatory training on the importance of inclusion, diversity, professionalism, and ethics. The department takes prompt action when misconduct is brought to our attention. However, if misconduct is not reported, the department cannot act. When misconduct occurs outside of the department that violate policy or are criminal in nature, the department will act when these events are reported. Employees who witness or become aware of criminal acts or misconduct are required by department policy to report these actions. Employees who are victims of crimes are encouraged to make a report to the department or other appropriate law enforcement agencies. Non-criminal misconduct can also be reported to a variety of independent investigating agencies. Employees are continuously made aware of these resources and their duties.
The men and women of the Lincoln Police Department work diligently each day to serve this community. Even though these lawsuits have been looming for a period of time, I believe in this department and its members. I ask the public for patience and continued support of our members.