St. Louis County Police Department officer told to ‘tone down the gay’ if he wanted a promotion

A police officer is suing his police department after he was allegedly told to ‘tone down the gay’.

Sgt Keith Wildhaber was allegedly told to ‘tone down’ his sexuality if he wanted a promotion, according to a discrimination suit filed against the St. Louis County Police Department.

Mr Wildhaber had served in the police force for more than two decades in St. Louis when he applied for a promotion in 2014.

However he claims his superiors had discriminated against him because he is gay, telling him to ‘tone down’ his sexuality if he wanted a promotion.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by the St Louis Post-Dispatch, the officer ‘has been subjected to unlawful employment discrimination by being denied multiple promotions’ in violation of the Missouri Human Rights Act, which outlaws anti-LGBT discrimination.

Photo by St. Louis County Police