PITTSBURGH -- Five Port Authority police officers have filed suit, alleging discrimination because they're black.
Team 4's Paul Van Osdol reported that it's the latest in a string of bias complaints against the Port Authority, which has paid settlements in at least four other discrimination cases in the past two years.
In the new case, the five plaintiffs say former police Chief William McArdle retaliated against them after they raised concerns about discrimination five years ago.
In 2004, McArdle asked the officers to support him in another discrimination lawsuit filed by a black officer, according to the new lawsuit.
The officers were afraid to speak for fear of retaliation, but the chief ordered them to answer questions anyway, the lawsuit said.
The officers said they could not support the chief because they believed "black officers were discriminated against because of their race," the lawsuit said.
According to the lawsuit, the officers say there was "significant retaliation" against them after that point -- including "failure to promote" them to positions even though they were best qualified, "written warnings for behaviors or actions that white officers were not warned about" and "lack of training" necessary for promotion that was given to white officers.
Neither the Port Authority nor the attorney for the five officers in the new lawsuit would comment on Tuesday.
Last November, the Port Authority settled a race discrimination case filed by Officer Willie Dillard, who also said he suffered retaliation for failing to defend the former chief in a discrimination case.
Last month, the Port Authority settled an age discrimination case filed by former sales account executive Sue Hauman, who claimed her boss frequently swore at her and called her his "sales ho."
Port Authority employee Arnold Staples, who is black, said he was repeatedly harassed by white police officers. His case was settled two years ago.
The Port Authority would not immediately release the amounts of the settlements on Tuesday.
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