San Diego’s top female lifeguard is suing the city after claiming officials blocked her from competing for the department’s top job before handing the position to a man with less than five years of full-time experience.
Maureen Hodges, the department’s first and only female captain, alleges she was frozen out of the hiring process following the October firing of former Chief James Gartland over his handling of a sexual harassment complaint.
The 20-year veteran lifeguard says she approached acting Chief Dan Eddy about taking the helm after Gartland’s departure.
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“Hodges performed well as the Captain, and when she asked interim Chief Eddy whether she would be considered to be promoted to Lifeguard Chief, Eddy replied: ‘I don’t see why not,’” her lawsuit states, according to the Times of San Diego.
Four days later, the city announced it had picked Daniel Orloff, a former lifeguard who left the service in 2023 as a sergeant and later worked as a deputy city attorney.
Hodges, who serves as Marine Safety Captain of Strategic Operations, claims Orloff was nowhere near as qualified for the job.
“Orloff had departed the Lifeguard Service in 2023, in the rank of Sergeant, and had been employed as a Deputy City Attorney for several years,” the lawsuit states.
“Orloff was a full-time lifeguard for less than five years. Hodges is more than qualified for promotion to lifeguard chief and is substantially more well qualified than Orloff.”
Hodges is seeking general and special damages and wants a judge to issue an injunction “requiring the City to better protect its employees from discrimination.”
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