In the closing weeks of February 2009, Ithaca Police Chief Ed Vallely reportedly summoned Sgt. Douglas Wright to his office. Vallely needed to appoint someone to the highly-coveted position of lieutenant, and Wright was known to want the job.

Wright had reason to be optimistic. He joined the IPD in 1992, was apparently told by the former IPD chief that the post would eventually be his, and, unlike his competition, had never been accused of aiding drug dealers.

But Vallely had other plans in mind. At the meeting, Vallely allegedly told Wright, a white officer, that he had to prove that he was a better candidate than Marlon Byrd, a black officer, to get the appointment, according to a discrimination lawsuit recently filed by Wright against the City of Ithaca, the IPD and several city officials.

“I need to show clear and convincing evidence why you are the better candidate; otherwise, I have to promote Marlon,” Vallely said at the meeting, according to Wright.

He did so in early March, making Byrd a lieutenant despite “evidence of serious criminal allegations” against Byrd, Wright claims. Sworn testimony from 2008 to 2011 indicates that several IPD officers believed Byrd was tipping off drug dealers, according to The Ithaca Journal, though these claims have been disputed.

Citing this incident and others, Wright has alleged in a $10.5-million lawsuit that the IPD and City of Ithaca promote policies that “subject male Caucasian employees to greater scrutiny … and treat them as second class citizens.” Earlier this month, Judge Gary Sharpe ruled that the case could proceed, rejecting most of the city’s arguments in its attempt to have the lawsuit dismissed.

His decision follows the ruling of Judge Michael Telesca, who in April also ruled that a separate discrimination case against the city could proceed….

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