The City of Savannah and the Savannah Fire Department face a lawsuit from former fire department Battalion Chief Jeffrey Croslen. Croslen alleges he was repeatedly overlooked for promotion in favor of less qualified white candidates and faced demotion and retaliation after voicing concerns about racial discrimination.
🚒 The Details: Jeffrey Croslen, who served the department for nearly four decades, filed a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Savannah and Fire Chief Elzie Kitchen. Croslen’s complaint details his struggles with alleged systemic discrimination within the department, claiming that, despite his qualifications, he was repeatedly passed over for promotions in favor of less experienced white firefighters.
The lawsuit notes that, while Chief Kitchen is Black, the majority of the fire department’s upper management positions are held by white men. Croslen claims that his 2020 promotion to Battalion Chief came only after years of being denied the role. Despite being one of the few Black battalion chiefs at the fire department, Croslen’s attempt to secure an Assistant Chief position in 2022 was thwarted.
The lawsuit claims Chief Kitchen reserved one Assistant Chief slot for a Black candidate and the other for a white candidate, undermining Croslen’s superior qualifications.
📊 By The Numbers: According to the Lawsuit:
- 2 out of 19 upper management positions held by Black officers.
- 4 unsuccessful attempts by Croslen to be promoted to Battalion Chief before 2020.
- 13 years longer in service than the closest competition for Assistant Chief.
- $11,215.22 annual pay reduction following Croslen’s demotion.
🔎 What’s Next?: The lawsuit seeks various remedies, including Croslen’s reinstatement as Battalion Chief, back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorney’s fees. The case will proceed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, where a jury trial has been demanded. As the case unfolds, it may prompt broader investigations into hiring practices and discrimination within the fire department and other city departments.
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