NBC Philadelphia
August 4, 2014
A Wilmington police department lieutenant who was denied a promotion to captain last year is suing the city and Mayor Dennis Williams for discrimination.
A federal lawsuit filed by Lt. Gregory Ciotti, a 55-year-old white male, accuses Williams, who is black, of race and gender discrimination.
Ciotti also claims he was the subject of age discrimination and was targeted for retaliation for supporting former city councilman Kevin Kelley in the 2012 Democratic mayoral primary against Williams.
Ciotti claims he was denied a promotion despite being the most qualified candidate, and that Williams implemented a race- and gender-conscious promotion policy.
A spokeswoman for Williams said the city had no comment on Cioitti’s discrimination allegations, but that his support of Kelley was not a factor in the promotion decision.