LOS ANGELES, CA — A veteran member of the Los Angeles County Fire Department says in new court papers that he retired in 2025 and moved out of state in frustration for being denied promotions that went to less qualified candidates because the fire chief sought to elevate women and people of color at the expense of white men.
Assistant Chief Frank Forman's Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit alleges discrimination and failure to prevent discrimination, harassment and/or retaliation. He seeks unspecified damages.
Forman was hired in October 1991 and became an assistant chief 2021, had a good record as an upper-level manager and held two master's degrees and a paramedic license, the suit states.
But during a March 2023 operations staff meeting, Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone told Forman and others present that the department would promote women and people of color, the suit alleges.
"Some will be happy and others who are more qualified will not be happy," Marrone allegedly said while looking at Forman.
Marrone's comment was clear that women and people of color would be promoted "for the look" at the department, the suit filed in September 2024 states. The county has moved to dismiss the lawsuit on grounds there are no triable issues, but Forman states in a sworn declaration submitted in opposition to the county's motion that Marrone discriminated in favor or women and people of color.
"Marrone repeatedly called himself `the DEI fire chief" on multiple occasions after his appointment in meetings attended by assistant and deputy chiefs," Forman says in the declaration.
Forman applied for a deputy fire chief position, and the plaintiff was given a first interview in June 2023, according to the suit. But Forman was not given a second interview, and he was not promoted when the new deputy chief selections were announced in November 2023, with non-white men getting the majority of the promotions, even though Forman was more qualified, including his status as the holder of two master's degrees, the suit states.
"Those advanced to second-round interviews were four ethnic minorities and one white male over 60; ultimately, promotions followed for minorities and others consistent with Marrone's stated approach," Forman says.
"Acting" deputy chief assignments were limited to six months, but some candidates were repeatedly cycled and exceeded six-month terms, giving them interview and exposure advantages, while Forman was excluded from acting roles altogether, the plaintiff says.
Forman further says that after Marrone's March 2023 remarks and the plaintiff's denial of deserved promotions, he began to have increased "irritability, rapid speech, sleep disruption, flashbacks, loss of purpose and anger at the promotional process in general. As a result, I sought counseling and relocated to Montana post-retirement to find calming and centering."
Forman contends that based on information from a forensic economist damages expert he has lost a significant amount and suffered severe emotional distress "due to the discriminatory treatment inflicted by the county through their agent, the fire chief, against me."
In their court papers arguing in favor of dismissal of Forman's suit, county attorneys state that the plaintiff admitted Marrone did not state that the county would only select people of color and also acknowledged that Marrone did not indicate the county would give preferential treatment based on ethnicity when hiring.
Even accepting Forman's version of what was stated — that is, that the county will not exclude minorities from professional opportunities — does not amount to discrimination, according to the county lawyers' pleadings.
City News Service
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