Ex-cop says she faced gender, race discrimination from Horry County police
A fired Horry County police officer says she faced different treatment at the agency because of her gender and race culminating with her termination.
Arlisha Stackhouse filed a lawsuit against Horry County police last month, but just days ago the suit moved to federal court.
Stackhouse began working for HCPD in 2015 as a patrol officer. In 2017, she did not meet shooting testing standards after one attempt, according to the suit. Stackhouse had to return the next day and try again, which she failed in her one attempt. Officials took her weapon, badge and patrol vehicle.
Other white officers were allowed to take the test multiple times the same day, according to the report.
In November 2017, Stackhouse went to Loris Middle School for a reported assault. She told the principal they needed to handle the incident internally because the school removed the School Resource Officers from campus, according to the suit. A sergeant backed up Stackhouse’s decision, the filing claims.
Later, another supervisor called and told Stackhouse that there was no evidence the sergeant supported her actions.
Stackhouse was given a “written referral” months later in 2018 for failing to charge the juvenile and was told she would have to complete 14 shifts of the field training program.
White officers were not required to complete the program following their first written referral, according to the filing.
While working the training program, Stackhouse got hurt and an officer told her she would need to restart the program, but she alleges in the lawsuit other officers have gone on leave while in the program and were not required to restart the training.
In May 2018, Stackhouse said she signed a weekly report that stated she was passing the training program. But later it was whited-out and changed to say she was failing, the lawsuit contends.
Stackhouse went to human resources, where she again faced discrimination, the lawsuit alleges.
Later that same month, supervisors told Stackhouse that she failed the program, and would need to restart with the same training officer. White men, the suit claims, received a new training officer when they failed.
Stackhouse says a sergeant provided her with a list of safety concerns based on body camera footage, but none were brought up during the training shifts.
On her next attempt, Stackhouse completed six of the 14 shifts and was again told she failed the program, the filing claims.
In July, Stackhouse met with several supervisors and Chief Joe Hill. Hill asked Stackhouse to resign so they would not be required to report the safety concerns to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. Stackhouse said she would not quit and was fired. The lawsuit contends safety concerns were never reported to the academy.
The suit alleges that Stackhouse faced racial and gender discrimination. She also faced retaliation because she complained to human resources about the discrimination. The lawsuit asks for an unspecified amount of money.
Horry County spokeswoman Kelly Moore said it’s county policy not to comment on pending litigation.
