A jury has recommended a St. Louis County police sergeant be awarded nearly $20million after finding the department discriminated against him because he's gay.

The jury's verdict came Friday in a 2017 lawsuit brought by Sgt. Keith Wildhaber.

Wildhaber testified that he was told to 'tone down his gayness' to secure a promotion to lieutenant.

'The command staff has a problem with your sexuality,' a member of the St. Louis County Board of Police Commissioners allegedly told Wildhaber in February 2014. 'If you ever want to see a white shirt [i.e., get a promotion], you should tone down your gayness.'

Wildhaber was passed over 23 times for promotion. He said he also was transferred to a different precinct more than half an hours drive away from the Affton precinct against his wishes after filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

St. Louis County police Sgt. Keith Wildhaber alleges in a lawsuit filed in 2017 that he was passed over for promotion because he's gay, then retaliated against after seeking legal help

Wildhaber said he was passed over for promotions, despite receiving excellent reviews

Wildhaber met with the John Saracino, top left, who was also a member of the department's civilian police board, pictured, is alleged to have told him to 'tone down your gayness'. Saracino has since denied making the comment

The jury awarded Wildhaber $1.9 million in actual damages and $10 million in punitive damages on the discrimination claim after a week-long trial during which the police department was accused of having an anti-LGBT culture and a history of retaliation.

Multiple officers and Chief John Belmar, pictured, took the stand in the trial

It added $999,000 in actual damages and $7 million in punitive damages for the retaliation claim according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, intended to 'send a message.'

'We wanted to send a message,' the foreman of the jury told reporters. 'If you discriminate you are going to pay a big price. … You can't defend the indefensible.'

County officials now plan to change the police department's leadership.

'The time for leadership changes has come and change must start at the top,' St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said in a statement on Sunday.

The police board will now be overhauled with announcements on new appointments 'forthcoming.'

'While we are extremely embarrassed of the alleged actions of some of our Department's senior commanders, we look forward to the healing process that can begin to take place now that this has been heard in open court,' the county's police union said in a statement.

Video courtesy of Fox2Now

Wildhaber said hewas then reassigned to a late shift 30 miles further from his home after he filed discrimination complaints in April 2016

Wildhaber joined the force in 1994 as a security officer and claims that he was designated the police department's liaison to the gay community, but was told if he ever wanted to be promoted, he would need to change his mannerisms.

He became a police officer in 1997 and rose through the department's ranks first working as a patrolman and then a detective until 2011, when he was promoted to the rank of sergeant.

His written performance reviews were also among the top in the department, yet court records purportedly show exactly what it is that stopped the sergeant from getting his promotion.

'Defendant believes plaintiff's behavior, mannerisms, and/or appearance do not fit the stereotypical norms of what a 'male' should be,' stated the lawsuit.

Wildhaber cited a number of instances in the past when others close to the department have hinted that a change in his manner would have to follow before any promotion could be considered.

On one particular check on a local business at Bartolino's restaurant in St. Louis, Wildhaber met with the John Saracino who was also a member of the department's civilian police board who is alleged to have told him to 'tone down your gayness'.

Wildhaber met with the John Saracino, pictured, who was also a member of the department's civilian police board who is alleged to have told him to 'tone down your gayness

'I think I said, 'I can't believe we are having this conversation in 2014.' It was devastating to hear,' Wildhaber testified. 'We had never spoken of my sexuality before, and I thought he was just trying to be helpful to me and looking out for my best interest in the promotional process.'

Saracino has since told the Post-Dispatch that he has 'never had a conversation like that,' before.

The lawsuit alleged that while Wildhaber continued to apply for lieutenant positions, he continued to remained a sergeant, yet his colleagues were promoted.

When Wildhaber felt he was being overlooked because of his sexuality, he filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Missouri Commission on Human Rights alleging that he was being unfairly overlooked for a promotion.

No less than six week later, Wildhaber was moved from comfortable afternoon shifts to the midnight slot some 30 miles away from his home.

Wildhaber believes such reassignment came as a direct result of him filing the lawsuit.

Overall, the St. Louis County police department has come under a number of criticisms in the wake of the protests and riots in nearby Ferguson during the summer of 2014.

A number of large police departments sought to appoint liaisons to the gay community and reach out to other ethnic minorities by improving the diversity of their squad.

Although no such diversity council was created in the St. Louis County force, Wildhaber was asked to serve on a committee that would reach out to the LGBT community.

Wildhaber claims he was asked to take on a liaison role in January 2014 which would have seen him promoted to lieutenant. Yet, despite taking a test, the promotion never came.