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    Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, LITIGATION NEWS, TRENDS—Capitol Police inspector claims bias in leadership promotions, (Sep 17, 2026)

    By Patricia K. Ruiz, J.D.

    A Black, female commander, who was injured during the January 6 insurrection, alleges the Capitol Police are “engaged in an effort to reverse diversity, equity and inclusion gains and eliminate diversity in leadership within the department.&#x ...

    By Patricia K. Ruiz, J.D.

    A Black, female commander, who was injured during the January 6 insurrection, alleges the Capitol Police are “engaged in an effort to reverse diversity, equity and inclusion gains and eliminate diversity in leadership within the department.”

    A longtime U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) commander has sued that department under the Congressional Accountability Act, alleging she was denied promotions to deputy chief and assistant chief positions because she is a Black woman. Inspector Carneysha Mendoza claims less-qualified white candidates were selected for the positions and that department leadership has sought to eliminate diversity from its upper ranks. She seeks damages, injunctive relief, and a jury trial.

    Mendoza is a 24-year USCP veteran who describes her career as demonstrating “deep experience in nearly every facet of USCP’s operations,” and notes that she has been the “commanding officer of some of the most crucial specialty units within the Department.” She has held supervisory roles in four of the six bureaus of the USCP, in both operational and administrative positions. She alleges she has received multiple leadership awards, a lifesaving award, and a community service award, and that she was severely injured in the course of duty when acting as a front-line commander on January 6, 2021.

    Deputy chief selection. Regardless of her qualifications, she alleges she was passed over in favor of less-qualified white candidates for multiple positions. First, she alleges she was more qualified than the white male selected candidate for a deputy chief position overseeing the Operational Services Bureau. According to the complaint, Mendoza previously commanded specialty units including the Civil Disturbance Unit, K-9 operations, CERT, and less-lethal teams, completed the FBI National Academy, and received multiple departmental honors. The suit alleges that the white male candidate lacked comparable supervisory experience in specialty operations and that Mendoza had outperformed him in prior promotion processes. It also challenges the composition of the interview panel and alleges the selection process was manipulated to disadvantage minority candidates.

    Assistant chief appointments. Mendoza also challenges three assistant chief appointments announced April 13, 2026. The complaint alleges the Chief of Police used a noncompetitive appointment process rather than the department's customary competitive selection procedure. One assistant chief position went to a white female inspector. Mendoza alleges she was better qualified and should have been considered for that promotion because she held the same rank and participated in the selection process used for the deputy chief vacancy. Another appointee had a significant disciplinary history but nevertheless received an assistant chief position, the complaint alleges. Mendoza contends the appointment process was used to avoid selecting qualified Black female candidates.

    DEI office disbandment. The lawsuit alleges that the Chief of Police’s personnel decisions left no Black officials in the Office of the Chief. Mendoza points to the disbandment of the department's Office of Equity and Inclusion, the selection of only white candidates for the challenged promotions, and other departmental actions as evidence of discriminatory intent.

    Additionally, the complaint cites prior findings and allegations of discrimination involving the department, including proceedings concerning a female K-9 officer and a Black sergeant. Mendoza alleges officials implicated in those matters were not disciplined and, in one case, were promoted.

    Mendoza asserts three counts of discrimination based on race, sex, and the combination of race and sex. She seeks compensatory damages, attorney fees, costs, declaratory relief, and an order barring future discriminatory practices.

    The case is No. 1:26-cv-03231.

    News: LitigationNewsTrends AgencyNews Discrimination RaceDiscrimination SexDiscrimination PublicEmployees ESGNews

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