Unit commander expands lawsuit
Boston’s top human trafficking cop is turning up the heat on her civil lawsuit by naming the city as a defendant for allegedly violating her “right to be free of discrimination.”
Lt. Detective Donna Gavin first filed her federal action against her captain and the Boston Police Department this spring, saying they created a hostile work environment and discriminated and retaliated against her.
A new filing in the case now asks that the BPD be dropped and the city of Boston be added to the case.
Gavin’s attorney could not be reached for a comment yesterday. City officials have said they cannot comment on pending litigation.
Gavin, the widely recognized leader of the Human Trafficking and Crimes Against Children units, is accusing her commanding officer Capt. Detective Mark Hayes and the city, and she is seeking damages for emotional distress and lost wages.
Gavin’s suit alleges a litany of offenses, from not providing her with an office, to deliberately undermining her to subordinates, to retaliating against her when she complained about discrimination.
“We feel we have a strong claim,” Kevin Mullen, one of Gavin’s attorneys, told the Herald last month. “It’s a real issue. When you look at Lt. Gavin’s history, she’s a phenomenal officer who for years and years brought credit to her department in dealing with the most vulnerable victims. It speaks for itself.”