Attorneys for the five officers said the order was yet another example of how the department was infringing on their clients’ rights.
“As a lawyer, I believe the order is unconstitutional. I believe that it is contrary to their freedom of speech rights, freedom of association rights and I don’t believe that ultimately it is lawful,” said Solomon E. Gresen at the news conference. “However, we’re in a situation now where for these officers to violate that order will allow the insider’s club the opportunity to retaliate in a way that they don’t have as I sit here before they speak.”
Lt. Omar Rodriguez and police officers Cindy Guillen-Gomez, Steve Karagiosian, Elfego Rodriguez and Jamal Childs, according to the lawsuit, “were subjected to discrimination and discriminatory policies, practices and procedures based upon race, ancestry, national origin, sex/gender, marital status, and pregnancy, among other things.”
“Unfortunately, because of the gag order and other orders that I’ve been given, we are not allowed to speak among each other about this and we’re not allowed to speak to you about it,” said Omar Rodriguez, alleging that the lawsuit was just the “tip of the iceberg.”
“I can tell you just from myself, and the people that are standing behind me, along with a lot of others at the Burbank Police Department, all we want to do is just be police officers and do our job, be able to go to work without any problems, without any retaliation,” he said. “We just want to serve the public. That’s all we’ve ever wanted to do. That’s certainly all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
City Atty. Dennis Barlow on Monday declined to address the allegations listed in the lawsuit, citing a policy of not commenting on pending litigation.
"We don't like to try our cases in the press," he said.
More updates to this story will be posted online at www.burbankleader.com.
CHRISTOPHER CADELAGO covers City Hall and the courts. He may be reached at (818) 637-3242 or by e-mail at christopher.cadelago@latimes.com.
