A discrimination lawsuit filed against the Maryland State Police and the state fire marshal's office is moving forward after a federal judge said he found enough evidence to support some of the claims made in the complaint.
Derek Chapman filed a lawsuit in February claiming a culture of racism has been allowed to exist in the Maryland State Police and the state fire marshal's office for years.
"It made me feel good because someone's listening. When you look at the whole entire case and you see it, it blows people away. But this is what happened and now someone's listening," Chapman told reporters outside the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on Wednesday.
Chapman is a deputy chief in the Office of the State Fire Marshal, which is an agency of the Maryland State Police. He said he's hoping to end a "good ole boy" system within the Maryland State Police.
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Magistrate Judge A. David Copperhite ruled last Tuesday that Chapman's claims had merit and the lawsuit could move forward.
“We have filed this case in the form of 4.8 million dollars to send a message that this is not tolerated and someone like Deputy Chapman has to speak up to stop it," Chapman's attorney Dionna Maria Lewis said.
Chapman said he was suspended for more than one month after filing an internal affairs complaint alleging racist remarks had been directed his way.
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“One supervisor referred to me as colored, and I said 'Send out an email and tell him to stop. Keep it confidential.' They went and told him and then it amped up," he said.
In February 2022, the News4 I-Team's Tracee Wilkins reported a group of former and current Black state troopers they routinely received harsher discipline and they were overlooked for promotions.
The Department of Justice opened an investigation into the allegations last July.
“My complaint is valid. I had enough. It's time to address the issue in the department," Chapman said.
News4 has reached out to Maryland State Police for comment, but has not received a response.
