The former Acting Chief of the Ithaca Police Department claims he didn’t get the job on a permanent basis because he is a white man.
That accusation is part of a discrimination lawsuit filed by John Joly against the city. In addition to the discrimination accusation, the Ithaca Voice reports Joly accuses the city of fostering a hostile work environment. Joly filed a notice of claim in March and named the Mayor, five Common Council members, the city’s; Director of Human Resources, and the city of Ithaca as defendants. Joly was promoted to Acting Chief in 2021 following Dennis Nayor’s retirement.
After learning that Mayor Laura Lewis was going to appoint Joly as permanent police chief, four Common Council members went public with opposition to the plan. Several days later, Mayor Lewis withdrew Joly’s appointment.
About a month ago, Joly took an indefinite leave of absence from the department to focus on his personal wellness.
Joly and two other members of the Ithaca Police Department were cleared last month in an investigation by State Police into allegations of overtime fraud.
