Jury awards $3.56 Million to LAPD Sergeant in whistleblower case

A Los Angeles jury has awarded $3.56 million to former LAPD Sergeant Timothy Colomey, who sued the city claiming he was retaliated against for exposing alleged misconduct within the department's SWAT unit. The verdict, delivered on Wednesday, stems from Colomey's whistleblower retaliation lawsuit, in which he accused the LAPD of fostering a toxic "SWAT Mafia" culture, marked by aggressive tactics and undue influence by veteran officers.

The jury reached its decision after less than a day of deliberation, ruling in favor of Colomey, who alleged that he suffered significant mental and emotional distress as a result of the retaliation he experienced after speaking out against the SWAT unit's practices.

Colomey, a 29-year veteran of the LAPD, was employed with the department for over two decades and served as a sergeant in the elite SWAT unit from 2008 to 2019. In his lawsuit, Colomey described how certain SWAT leaders appeared to favor candidates with aggressive tendencies, preferring officers who were quick to use force rather than those who took a more methodical approach or questioned the unit's aggressive culture.

From 2013 to 2019, Colomey was in charge of the LAPD’s SWAT training school, where he witnessed firsthand the selection process for candidates. He claimed that officers who displayed "critical thinking" or hesitated to use force were routinely passed over in favor of those who embraced a more lethal, action-oriented mentality. Colomey contended that this created a toxic environment within the unit, which he described as a "conformist" culture driven by powerful officers who promoted a "quick-shooting" mindset.

Colomey also accused some senior SWAT officers of wielding excessive influence, undermining supervisors like him, and even attempting to take control of operations during critical SWAT calls. He alleged that these officers sought to minimize his involvement by instructing him to "move away" or "stay here, Sarge" during high-stakes incidents, effectively sidelining him from the operation.

In his testimony, Colomey told the court he had reported these issues to LAPD's Internal Affairs division in 2018, following an anonymous complaint that drew comparisons between the SWAT unit's culture and the notorious LAPD Rampart scandal of the late 1990s. 

During his interview with Internal Affairs, Colomey revealed that certain officers referred to themselves as the "SWAT Mafia," a term he did not use personally but acknowledged hearing from others within the unit. The Internal Affairs investigation ultimately cleared Colomey of any wrongdoing, and no misconduct allegations were sustained against him.

The city’s legal team argued that any issues raised by Colomey were linked to his own actions or failures to properly supervise the SWAT unit. However, the jury rejected these claims, siding with Colomey and awarding him damages for the emotional and psychological toll of his experience.

Colomey’s legal victory highlights broader concerns about the culture within the LAPD’s SWAT division and the challenges faced by officers who speak out against misconduct within the department. Colomey, who was hired by the LAPD in 1995, has since retired but remains a vocal advocate for reform within law enforcement.

In response to the verdict, Colomey’s attorneys released a statement praising the jury’s decision, calling it a significant step toward accountability and justice for officers who face retaliation for exposing corruption and misconduct within law enforcement.

Article pulled from City News Service database. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for the CALÓ Newsletter.