BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — Former Bakersfield Fire Captain Quincy Sloan has opened up about his discrimination lawsuit, which he filed five years ago, alleging he was denied a promotion due to his race and religion.
Bakersfield Fire Department 26 Nov 2018.
Sloan, who retired in May after more than 30 years of service, said he faced hostility at work and that internal efforts to address his concerns were ineffective.
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“I worked with some very great mentors in the fire service, but I also had some leaders that were, um, not as fair and equitable as one would expect from a city organization,” Sloan said.
He claims that disciplinary actions were “weaponized” against him to justify harassment and being passed over for promotion, which he described as “humiliating.”
Sloan’s lawsuit centers on “confirmation bias” and a pattern of leaders misusing policies to justify unfair treatment.
Quincy Sloan is a captain for the Bakersfield Fire Department.(Bakersfield Fire Department Facebook)
“This lawsuit was about confirmation bias. It was about individuals that they didn’t care about my opinions or my education or how hard I worked,” he said.
His attorney emphasized the broader implications of the jury’s verdict, stating, “This verdict was not just about Quincy Sloan, it’s about really what the community stands for, and it’s reinforcing the belief that, you know, hard work and doing the right thing should always be recognized, never punished.”
Sloan and his lawyer, Nancy P. Doumanian, recently urged the Bakersfield City Council not to appeal the verdict, despite the city’s plans to do so.
Doumanian expressed hope that the city would “do the right thing and honor the jury’s decision.”
City Attorney Virginia Gennaro stated, “At this time, the city has no comment as this remains active litigation with post-trial motions being considered.”
Quincy Sloan has worked for the Bakersfield Fire Department for over 30 years. (Bakersfield Fire Department Facebook)
Sloan continues to contribute to the community by teaching firefighting and EMT courses at Bakersfield College and advocating for mentorship and mental health in the fire service.