A Deputy Sheriff has filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and retaliation within his department. Desmond B. Warren filed the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on June 21, 2024, against Will County and the Will County Sheriff.
Desmond Warren, a Black deputy sheriff employed by the Will County Sheriff's Office (WCS) since April 2014, claims he faced repeated discriminatory actions that hindered his career advancement. Despite meeting or exceeding job performance expectations and being qualified for various positions, Warren alleges he was systematically passed over for promotions in favor of less qualified non-Black individuals. Specifically, Warren details incidents from September 2020 to April 2023 where he applied for roles such as SWAT Team member, Detective, and Sergeant but was not selected despite outperforming other candidates in testing processes.
In one instance from October 2020, Warren asserts that Deputy Brendan Davis, a less qualified non-Black individual, was chosen over him for a SWAT Team position. Similar scenarios occurred when Deputies Anthony Larocco and Anna Glowinke were selected over him for positions in the Tri-County Auto Theft unit and Investigations Division respectively. Additionally, in December 2022, another less qualified non-Black deputy was chosen over Warren for a Detective role.
Warren also highlights an incident involving Deputy Louis Harding who failed to complete a physical test due to injury but was still selected for a SWAT Team position in April 2023. Furthermore, after becoming certified as a Field Training Officer (FTO) in September 2023—a role that includes premium pay—Warren claims he was never assigned any new officers to train while his non-Black colleagues received multiple assignments.
The complaint extends beyond missed promotions to include allegations of retaliation following Warren's filing of an EEOC race discrimination charge in December 2023. He claims that subsequent actions by WCS further marginalized him within the department.
Warren is seeking several forms of relief from the court: back pay with interest; promotion to Sergeant or equivalent front pay; compensatory damages; coverage of legal costs including attorney fees; and assurance that Will County will cover any judgment against WCS.
Representing Desmond B. Warren is Timothy J. Coffey of The Coffey Law Office, P.C., while the case will be presided over by judges from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois under Case No. 1:24-cv-05219.