“They were concerned they’d been passed over because of a desire to have a less qualified candidate placed as deputy chief. In that complaint, they alleged reverse discrimination,” said Dave Bonar, who is city council president and acting mayor.
Last month’s resignation of Mayor Carleton Carey in Dover may have resulted from pressure to leave office after complaints about the way he went about appointing the new police chief Paul Bernat.
WBOC reports that City Council President David Bonar and who is now acting Mayor said a week after the appointment five officers – including two captains and three lieutenants filed a reverse discrimination case.
Bonar said that the complained that Bernat chose Martin Mailey to be chosen second in command because he was African American and the officers were not.
In a press release Bonar says that the council is now looking into the deputy chief selection process, which has raised questions about whether the former Mayor overstepped his bounds and went against the department’s promotion policy to make sure that Mailley got the job.
Former Mayor Carey told WBOC that he did not do what has been alleged by the council.
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