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18 Police Officers Sue Austin After Reassignments

Austin police officers are suing the city for what they say was race and age discrimination in job assignments.

The Austin American-Statesman reports 18 officers filed the lawsuit Wednesday. The officers said they were forced out of the police department's organized crime division in a reorganization last year. They say they were replaced by younger, white officers.

The 18 officers are all over the age of 40. Most are black or Hispanic.

A police spokeswoman said the department hasn't seen the lawsuit. She said it wouldn't be appropriate to respond to the allegations at this time.

Lawyers for the officers said the reassignments have negatively affected their career tracks.

A group of 29 Austin police officers won a $1.5 million judgment in an age discrimination suit in 2011.
 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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