PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — A former Petersburg sheriff’s deputy has filed complaints against the Petersburg Sheriff’s Office, alleging discrimination because of his beard.
The former deputy, Gregory Wells, believes he was retaliated against after running for Hopewell Sheriff last November. Last month, he filed discrimination claims with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Virginia Attorney General’s Office of Civil Rights.
Wells, who first joined as a deputy in early 2024, says he has always had a beard, despite the sheriff’s office policy stating that beards are not allowed, according to him…