GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A Hastings police sergeant says he has been subjected to racial taunts within the department after he took a genetic test through Ancestry.com that showed he was 18 percent black.

Sgt. Cleon Brown said the police chief called him, "Kunte," a character in Alex Haley's novel, "Roots: The Saga of an American Family," while officers whispered, "Black Lives Matter" and pumped fists as they walked past.

The mayor, who retired in January, told racial jokes, he said.

At Christmas, the department hung stockings with names of the officers on a Christmas tree. A black Santa Claus figurine - with "18%" written on its white beard - was put in Brown's stocking.

Brown filed a federal lawsuit alleging state and federal civil-rights violations and violation of the state's Whistleblowers' Protection Act. He claims intentional infliction of emotional distress.

He has sued the city of Hastings, police Chief Jeff Pratt, City Manager Jeff Mansfield, Deputy Chief Dale Boulter and Sgt. Kris Miller.

The city says Brown is to blame.

Mansfield released a statement by the city in response to Brown's claim of discrimination.

The city contends that the police chief ordered racial comments to cease, and said Brown started "the joking and banter."

"Sgt. Brown, in a very joking and jovial manner, informed several of his fellow officers that he had recently taken a DNA test through Ancestry.com and the results showed that he was 18% African American."

The city said Ancestry.com's website didn't include "African American" as a possible test result.

"Ancestry.com's website also states that the test results do not definitively reveal where a person's ancestors actually originated; only that there are shared characteristics in genes, which might or might not indicate a person's ancestors are actually from that geographic area," the city said.

The city said the topic would be forgotten before Brown would bring it up again. It would result in "mutual bantering" with officers about their heritage, the city said. Brown engaged in "typical racial stereotypes," the city said.

"After a month or so of Brown originally bringing it up, even that ended," the city said.

During the Christmas season, the black Santa was put in Brown's stocking. It was removed and an officer shared concerns with the chief. Brown told the chief he was not upset, and the chief, Pratt, told him to be proud of his African heritage, the city said.

Pratt then told officers there would be no further joking about Brown's heritage. Pratt was concerned that Brown was initiating racial comments.

"The officer who placed the Santa in Brown's stocking then went to Brown to apologize ... since he heard that Brown was upset ... . Sgt. Brown emphatically denied that he ever complained about it or that he was upset or offended by it and he even seemed confused that the issue was being raised," the city said.

The city said that it's uncertain that Brown is part of a protected class under civil-rights laws, even assuming that the Ancestry.com test results are valid. Racial discrimination laws are "not designed to protect those who can demonstrate some trace amount of a particular race or geographic origin ... ," the city said.

Brown served seven years in the U.S. Army and was 30-percent combat disabled.

He was hired by Hastings in 1998. He was a "decorated" police sergeant and earned two life-saving awards, the lawsuit said.

His troubles at the department began last fall after he told colleagues about results of genetic test that took him by surprise, his lawsuit said.

He said Pratt called him "Kunte" in front of other officers.

Brown said he responded: "I cannot believe you just called me that!" Others laughed, he said.

Others started whispering, "Black Lives Matter," he said.

Former Mayor Frank Campbell told him, "Oh, you'll be alright," the lawsuit said.

Eight days later, Campbell saw Brown and another officer leaving the police station.

"Mayor Campbell saw (Brown), smiled, and said: 'Hey, I got a joke for you guys,' and proceeded to tell a racist joke using the word, 'Negroid,' at least two or three times," the lawsuit said.

On Jan. 4, Brown filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Soon, the defendants were aware of the complaint.

Brown's attorney, Karie Boylan, contends that the chief and deputy chief then "conducted highly coercive, offensive, intimidating employee interviews asking only leading questions."

She said the defendants "unfriended" Brown on Facebook, and would not allow him to play in annual charity basketball games.

She said the city manager ignored him while the police chief either ignored him or was "curt." Pratt also asked Brown to return to patrol officer, rather than sergeant, the lawsuit said.

"Based on the openly hostile, retaliatory behaviors displayed by the Defendants (the City Manager, Police Chief, the Deputy Chief, one of four sergeants, and one of seven Officers), and tacit approval of Defendant's conduct by many other Hastings officers, it is more likely than not, Plaintiff will not have adequate back up in the event of an emergency," Boylan wrote.

While the city says it responded immediately and appropriately, Boylan said no investigations have taken place.

"Not surprising in light of the fact that the Mayor, City Manager, Chief of Police, Deputy Chief and one of the four Sergeants are the primary instigators of the discrimination, harassment and/or retaliation."

She said the stress has affected his health, and he may not be medically able to continue working.