A black police officer is suing the city of Port Arthur, alleging racial discrimination.
George Clark filed a lawsuit July 29 in Jefferson County District Court against the Port Arthur Police Department, alleging discrimination.
According to the complaint, Clark, an African-American male, joined the Port Arthur Police Department in 2007, and since which time he has complained of discriminatory treatment to his superiors on several occasions. The suit says Clark was also informed the Port Arthur Police chief repeatedly requested the Jefferson district attorney bring charges against Clark so that the chief would have grounds to fire him.
The controversies culminated in a letter Clark received June 27, 2014, informing him he was being dismissed from the special response team for failure to attend practices, which Clark says he missed due to other police department work that he could not cancel, the lawsuit states.
Clark was informed June 20, 2014, that he was under investigation by internal affairs, and five days later he was put on administrative leave and was denied the chance to select his shift, according to the complaint.
Officers then showed up at Clark's girlfriend's house, alleging someone had called the police over a domestic dispute, the suit says. Clark and his girlfriend had been arguing, but Clark was detained for assault even though his girlfriend stated he had not assaulted her, according to the complaint.
Although he was cleared of all charges, Clark was fired Nov. 18, 2014, for "conduct unbecoming," the complaint states.
Clark seeks actual damages, plus court costs and attorney fees. He is represented by attorneys Larry Watts and Melissa Azadeh of Watts & Company Lawyers in Missouri City.
Jefferson County District Court case number B-197389.