A jury has awarded former Police Administrative Manager Rita Ramirez $2.9 million after she sued the city, alleging retired Santa Ana Police Chief David Valentin unlawfully retaliated against her for refusing to pick sides between two feuding police factions.
It’s one of many allegations against the City of Santa Ana and Valentin in a 2022 lawsuit in which Ramirez also claims he forced her to spy on her supervisor and also alleges a culture of discrimination against women in the police department condoned by the department’s leaders.
Early this month, an unanimous jury verdict sided with Ramirez and found city officials failed to address, prevent and remedy the alleged misconduct she faced amid dueling police camps – one headed by Valentin and the other by former police union boss Gerry Serrano…