Suffolk County Police Detective Tulio Serrata was joined by his attorneys at the Law Offices of Frederick K. Brewington on July 15 to announce the filing of his Complaint against Suffolk County, the Suffolk County Police Department, Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart, Chief of Detective Gerard Gigante and other officials for engaging in discrimination and retaliation against Mr. Serrata as a Latino man who testified before the Suffolk County Legislature against the Suffolk County Police Department. He was denied transfers and promotions that were given to lesser qualified white persons.
In June 1999, Mr. Serrata was hired by the Suffolk County Police Department as part of their mandated minority equal hiring program. Since the start of his employment, Mr. Serrata has accomplished a twenty-two-year tenure, with eleven years as a Detective and three years as a Sergeant. Since 2017, Mr. Serrata has been passed over for five different promotional positions and/or transfers for which he was more than minimally qualified. Each of these positions was given to a Caucasian man with less experience.
In February 2019, Mr. Serrata testified before the Suffolk County Legislature, conveying the abuse of the promotional process and the discrimination that was taking place during that process for the position of Detective Sergeant in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. The ongoing retaliation that has taken place regarding this matter is disturbing and violates Mr. Serrata’s civil rights.
Mr. Serrata and his legal team, including his attorney, Frederick K. Brewington, joined in announcing the filing of the Complaint, calling for monetary compensation.