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Glendale officer alleges retaliation for reporting workplace health risks
A Glendale police officer is claiming he was the victim of retaliation after reporting alleged work-related health violations.
A Glendale police officer is suing the city and the police department, claiming he was the victim of repeated retaliation after he reported alleged work-related health violations.
The Los Angeles Times reports the suit filed Jan. 22 by Officer John Schmidt alleges that he and another officer were exposed to "blood-borne pathogens" while on duty.
He reported the incident on Sept. 28, 2011, claiming the department and the city failed to comply with California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health regulations.
The newspaper says Schmidt's complaint does not specify which Cal-OSHA regulations were allegedly violated, nor does it go into detail about the exposure.
Schmidt alleges that because he reported the violations, he was subjected to an unwarranted internal affairs investigation.
City Atty. Michael Garcia denied the allegations.
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