Former Roman Forest police officer's lawsuit claims city terminated him because of age

HOUSTON - A Texas City man says he lost his job with a Montgomery County law enforcement agency because of his age and has filed a lawsuit.

Recent court documents filed March 8 in Houston federal court explain that William Burke experienced discrimination as a member of the Roman Forest Police Department prior to his alleged termination.

The city of Roman Forest employed Burke as a sergeant detective at the time of the events in question.

Burke states that his supervisor and fellow officers repeatedly harassed him "about being too old and not being able to do his job."

According to the suit, the plaintiff made numerous complaints to then-Roman Forest Police Chief Tom Jatzlau only to be told that "the comments were just jokes" and "to get over it."

The complainant further recalls an incident last year in which a target with the word "practice" written in capital letters on it was mounted on his office door.

RFPD supposedly threatened Burke with suspension and ordered him to take a firearms course before it fired him on May 2, 2012.

The suit asserts the defendant sacked the plaintiff because of "complaints that were allegedly made against [him] by other officers and citizens" though "the reality is that the defendant terminated the plaintiff because of his age and in retaliation for the plaintiff opposing the defendant's unlawful discrimination against the plaintiff because of his age."

Consequently, Burke seeks unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial.

Attorney Gregg M. Rosenberg of Rosenberg & Sprovach in Houston is representing the complainant.

Case No. 4:13-CV-625