Second Police Officer Files Claim Against The City

An attorney for a police officer who has filed a claim for retaliation, discrimination and harassment has now filed another claim against the City on behalf of a second officer.

According to Officer Jarvis Shelby’s attorney, Brad Gage, a police commander placed Shelby in a headlock in August resulting in serious injuries.

According to Shelby’s claim, no known discipline was meted out to the commander.

In a statement, Gage does not say what happened to lead up to the incident or if other officers had to break up the incident.

“..This is about police officers and employment, but it’s also about racial profiling and public safety because they go hand in hand,” Gage said. “If Black police officers are threatened or physically assaulted, what does that mean for members of the community?”

Shelby did not speak at a press conference on Wednesday outside Pasadena Police headquarters led by Gage. A family member appeared in his stead.

In a statement, a City official said the City will not respond publicly regarding the claims.

“There are at least two sides to every story, and complainants are free to take their side to the media,” said Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian. “The City of Pasadena cannot respond in a public debate regarding the claims, as they involve personnel matters, which are confidential under California law. With that said, personnel complaints against any Pasadena police officers are investigated thoroughly and fairly, and all personnel throughout our ranks are always held accountable for their actions when warranted.”

According to Gage, Shelby was subjected to racial slurs.

Specifically, when he was in training, he stood up to stretch his legs, after sitting for a few hours writing a report. A white officer reportedly asked him, “Is it a cultural thing?”

“His training officers made various negative and derogatory comments about him and to him. When they saw a backpack unattended, and Shelby asked about it, the officer said, ‘it’s probably one of these ghetto hood rat kid’s pack don’t worry about it,’” Gage said at a Wednesday press conference.

After a white woman told Shelby his picture looked like a parolee picture, white Police Dept. employees reportedly started to call him “Parolee.”

Shelby was told multiple times that he needs to be better than others because he is Black and that he is not good enough because he is Black, Gage alleged.

Gage reported other comments were made such as “We should not give people spots because they are Black” and “Jarvis only received the community relations spot because he was Black.”

Gage also represents Officer Taisyn Crutchfield.

Crutchfield was placed on administrative leave with pay in February after an incident on Marengo Avenue near the Police headquarters.

In that incident, three family members of a man shot by deputies in Altadena were involved in a family dispute when police arrived.

Pasadena police detained and handcuffed Carlos Towns, his mother Barsha Knox and a minor identified as CT2 on Walnut Street and Marengo Avenue.

After Crutchfield arrived on the scene, police video shows she appeared to attempt to move Officer Ralph Palacios away from Knox.

Palacios tells Crutchfield several times not to “do that.” A supervisor tells them to move away from each other and orders both back to police headquarters.

Attorney Gage claims that Crutchfield was simply trying to intervene to de-escalate a tense situation.

Crutchfield, the claim against the City alleges, has faced serious negative repercussions within the department following her actions during the incident.

She was placed on administrative leave, allegedly in retaliation for breaking the department’s code of silence and intervening in the incident involving Officer Palacios.

She has since been returned to active duty.