PBA pres sues Long Beach for $27.5m

The president of the Long Beach Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association has hit the city with a $27.5 million lawsuit after claiming that for years he was denied promotions for supporting the Democratic Party, for not endorsing the current City Council president and other Republican coalition candidates during their election bids, and for his role as PBA president.

Sgt. Stefan Chernaski, a member of the city’s Police Department since 1995, said he was denied his constitutional rights, including freedom of speech, and was the target of “harassment and discrimination” by City Manager Charles Theofan, Police Commissioner Thomas Sofield Sr. and City Council President Thomas Sofield Jr. for not supporting the Republican party.

Chernaski also claims that as PBA president, he drew the ire of high-ranking police officials when he filed contract grievances against the department, did not endorse Sofield Jr. during his 2007 election campaign and did not volunteer to hang political signs for Republican coalition candidates.

Chernaski’s accusations date back to 2005, and the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court’s Eastern District last month, seeks retroactive pay and punitive damages. He claims that he was passed over for promotion to lieutenant twice despite scoring well on a promotional exam.

Chernaski declined to comment. His attorney, Jason Abelove, said he was maligned in the Police Department for not toeing the political line. “It has do to do with his union activity, and his refusal to play ball with the Long Beach political machine,” Abelove said. “He’s a highly decorated officer — he came up through their system, he took their exam and finished No. 1. But he’s been shunned within the leadership of the department and has been denied the right to a promotion he should have been given three years ago.”