Lt. Julia Clasby, public information officer for the Sea Beach Police Department, has filed a lawsuit against the city.  Clasby has accused the city and “Does” 1 through 10 of gender-based discrimination. 

Clasby is seeking unspecified damages for past and future lost wages, pension benefits, and all other benefits. She is also seeking an award of non-financial damages, including emotional distress. Clasby’s complain demands a jury trial.

As the public information officer, Clasby is among the few police personnel authorized to speak with the media. Clasby is a member of the SBPD command staff and is listed at sealbeachpd.com along with two captains and another lieutenant. The four serve under the current Chief of Police Michael Henderson. Clasby is also the author of “The Mother Cop Dilemma,” which is available at juliaclasby.com. Some of the issues raised in the lawsuit complaint appear to be related to her having become pregnant early in her time with the department. According to “The Mother Cop Dilemma,” Clasby tested positive for pregnancy 20 days after she joined the SBPD in 2014.

According to the complaint, Clasby is the first female lieutenant in the department’s 110-year history. In her complaint, she is described as only the second female police sergeant in SBPD history.

News of the lawsuit has been reported in Southern California and the United Kingdom. At least two local individuals have posted the Times article on at least two social media platforms: Facebook and Nextdoor.com. 

“The City has not been served with the complaint and is not in a position to comment on pending litigation,” wrote City Manager Patrick Gallegos in an email. 

“That said, this personnel matter is being handled in accordance with the City’s established legal and administrative procedures. The City is committed to ensuring that all such matters are reviewed thoroughly, fairly, and in compliance with applicable laws and policies,” Gallegos.

The Sun also requested comment from Chief Henderson. Henderson asked if the Sun received a response from the city manager.

In the complaint, Clasby charges job discrimination because of sex/gender, failure to prevent discrimination, harassment because of sex/gender, job discrimination because of pregnancy and childbirth, and retaliation. The complaint made multiple references to issues involving police officials including Chief Henderson before and after he became police chief.

The complaint, a 50-page document, was filed on or about Oct. 3. 

Space doesn’t allow a review of the entire complaint. What follows are a few highlights.

According to the complaint, there has been a pattern of discrimination and hostile workplace activity against Clasby since 2015. According to the complaint, much of this has been related to the fact she became pregnant on the job. 

• On page 25, the complaint says that in 2022 a less qualified unmarried male candidate was promoted over her. 

• On pages 25-26, the complaint says that the SBPD sent two men to a Las Vegas parking conference rather than Clasby. However, the complaint says that parking is under Clasby’s supervision. 

• On page 29, the complaint says in 2022 all male members of command staff were attended a leadership program and Clasby was encouraged to attend, but in 2024, Chief Henderson denied Clasby’s request to attend the program. According to the complaint, she was instead told to attend a “Finding the Leader in You” course that was not necessarily for law enforcement personnel

• On page 30, the complaint says Clasby submitted a formal written complaint about the current police chief to the city manager on March 13, 2025. According to the complaint, the city did not contact her about the complaint for 35 days after receiving it.

• On page 31, the complaint says Clasby has been targeted with “several meritless internal affairs investigations”. 

• On page 32, the complaint says in January 2025, Clasby discussed lactation accommodations with another female employee and the other woman was ordered to write a memo about their conversation. 

According to the complaint, a spring 2025 internal affairs investigation was opened to investigate claims that Clasby had disparaged the chief during the January 2025 conversation. According to the complaint, that investigation is still ongoing. 

The court case number is 30-2025-01516539-CU-OE-NJC.