Philly’s first Latino deputy police commissioner, Pedro Rosario, tasked with overseeing Kensington
Rosario is the first deputy commissioner to be dedicated to a singular neighborhood in the city’s history.
12 months ago
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross’ sudden resignation appears to be tied to scintillating claims in a lawsuit alleging the city’s former top cop had an affair with a police officer a decade ago.
The claims emerged as part of an ongoing federal civil rights suit originally filed in late July by Corporal Audra McCowan and Officer Jennifer Allen. The original suit alleges systemic failure by police brass to respond to harassment complaints made by both female officers. But details of an alleged affair between Ross and McCowan between 2009 and 2011 didn’t become part the suit until Monday, when an amendment was filed.
Ross’ failure to effectively respond to sexual harassment complaints brought by McCowen against a separate officer, the suit asserts, was a form of retribution for their fizzled love affair.
“So why don’t you just order his dumb ass to go sit down and get out of your face?” Ross is purported to have said when McCowen’s complaints were brought to his attention in February.
McCowan claims she texted Ross to inform him of the ongoing harassment and discrimination from her male colleagues. Ross did nothing, according to the lawsuit. McCowan alleges the PPD leader, instead, told her he would “school her on sexual harassment,” and brushed the claims under the rug.
The lawsuit went unreported until Ross’ departure was made public by Mayor Jim Kenney on Tuesday. Deputy Commissioner Coulter, who Kenney named as Ross’ interim replacement, is also named as a defendant in the suit. Both plaintiffs allege Coulter knew of the complaints.
McCowan, 36, identifies as black and is married to a sergeant in the police department. Allen, 38, is a Hispanic officer married to another police officer.
The lawsuit claims both officers “suffered continuous and ongoing” sexual harassment. It also alleges widespread race- and gender-based discrimination by both coworkers and supervisors, most of whom are male.
The lawsuit alleges misconduct consisting of non-consensual groping, unwanted sexual advances and harassment about breastfeeding in the workplace — claims of which went ignored by a string of supervisors, including Ross.
After lodging those complaints, both Allen and McCowan lost their posts in the department’s elite analysis and investigations unit, according to their attorney Ian Bryson.”As a result of their reports, one of them was assigned to police radio and the other one was assigned to tow squad,” Bryson said Tuesday.
Ross and 10 other officers — among them now-interim Police Commissioner Coulter, a chief inspector, four sergeants, an inspector and a lieutenant — are named as defendants. One of the inspectors who allegedly ignored the plaintiffs’ complaints, Chief Inspector Anthony Washington, was himself subject to a sexual harassment scandal.
Numerous supervisors were informed of the misconduct in January of this year, the officers allege, but nothing was done. A prior complaint, filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, detailed similar allegations.
The mayor’s office only vaguely alluded to the alleged incidents in a surprise press release on Tuesday announcing Ross’ resignation. Deanna Gamble, a spokesperson for Kenney, said that Ross “failed to act adequately after learning about the alleged harassment.”
Asked why the mayor waited until mention of the affair appeared in court records before issuing a statement, Gamble said the mayor not aware of the complaint until Monday.
“The amended complaint was filed yesterday and that’s when the mayor was made aware of [the litigation],” Gamble said.
The broader suit also includes allegations against a string of other Philadelphia police. Those include:
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information comes to light.