PROVIDENCE — The city has reached a $12,000 settlement with a Chinese-American police sergeant who claimed he was passed over for a promotion due to his race and disability status.

Sergeant Eugene Chin, then a patrolman, sued the city in 2017, alleging that his civil rights were violated under a federal law that bans employers from discriminating against employees based on their sex, race, color, national origin or religion. He sought back pay, attorney fees and litigation expenses.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith in April ordered the parties to engage in mediation. Chin, of Warren, agreed earlier this month to dismiss the suit with prejudice after reaching the settlement with the city, according to a spokesman for the city.

Chin's lawsuit accused his superiors, including Providence Police Chief Hugh T. Clements Jr. and Cmdr. Thomas Verdi, of discriminating against him based on his race, ethnicity and perceived disability after he suffered on-the-job injuries.

Chin, who joined the force in 2002, cited several incidents that he alleged represented discrimination. He alleged that he applied in 2015 to become an instructor for agility testing for civilians seeking to join the department, but that his application was wrongly denied as untimely.

He said, too, that he was refused overtime shifts after he returned to work following medical leave for injuries he sustained in a car crash while assisting a colleague.� A review board determined that he was at fault in that crash, despite witness statements to the contrary, he alleged.

In April 2016, Chin said he received an 89% on a sergeant promotional exam, the eighth-highest score. He says shortly after this, his rank fell because of “grievance questions” awarded to certain officers. Chin received four “discretionary service points” while white officers in similar roles received five points. His ranking dropped to 13 and he was not promoted to sergeant.

Chin asserted that he has never faced disciplinary action during his 15-year tenure with the Providence police.

Chin's lawyer, V. Edward Formisano, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. A spokesman for the city declined a request for comment.

kmulvane@providencejournal.com

@kmulvane

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