8 corrections officers file lawsuit against Ramsey County over segregation order during Chauvin’s detention

Eight corrections officers, who said they were segregated when former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was held at the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center last year, have filed a lawsuit against the county.

The eight people — some of whom are current corrections officers at the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center and some who are former employees — filed the lawsuit Tuesday. They assert claims of discrimination and a hostile work environment based on their race and skin color.

The lawsuit comes after the officers filed discrimination charges against the county last June with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.

Complaints: Ramsey County correctional officers of color were prohibited from working near Chauvin

The complaint claims that, before Chauvin arrived at the detention center, Superintendent Steve Lydon issued an order prohibiting all correctional officers of color from interacting with or guarding Chauvin, or going anywhere on the floor where he was to be held. The officers who filed the lawsuit identify as Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander-American and multiracial. They say Lydon’s order was outside the scope of normal operations and caused disruptions that affected the safety of officers and people held at the facility.

"Segregation has no place in society or the workplace and on May 29, 2020, eight Ramsey County correctional officers experienced blatant discrimination based on their race and skin color," said Lucas J. Kaster of Nichols Kaster, PLLP, one of the attorneys representing the correctional officers. "Ramsey County’s segregation order caused immediate and lasting harm to the correctional officers and the jail environment. This lawsuit seeks to hold Ramsey County accountable for their degrading, unsafe and illegal treatment of correctional officers."

Ramsey County officials issued the following statement to KSTP in regards to the lawsuit:

"Beginning in July 2020, the County Board and the Sheriff participated in voluntary mediation with the officers and their counsel in an effort to resolve their claims. Unfortunately, the parties were unable to achieve a settlement. Now that the officers have decided to pursue a lawsuit in state court, the County Board will follow their customary practice of withholding public comment during pending litigation."