A former San Antonio Police Department SWAT officer is suing the city, alleging she endured years of sex-based harassment, hazing, and retaliation after refusing to participate in degrading rituals. Officer Perla Dominguez, who was the unit's only female SWAT officer, claims her male colleagues subjected her to a hostile work environment following her appointment in 2018.
The lawsuit details a hazing ritual where new recruits are allegedly held down and bitten on the rear by other members. Dominguez also objected to a required lightning bolt tattoo, finding both the ritual and the tattoo "sexually degrading" and "offensive," according to the suit.
Dominguez, a 14-year veteran of the SAPD, alleges that she was ostracized and retaliated against after reporting the harassment. The suit claims that in 2021, officers pressured her to undergo the hazing ritual, with one allegedly stating her refusal caused the team to question her loyalty. Later that year, after Dominguez mentioned to colleagues that she and her wife were expecting twins, she discovered a used condom in her locker. An investigation, which included her undergoing a polygraph test, did not result in the identification or discipline of the responsible party, according to the lawsuit.
Further allegations include discrimination related to her LGBTQ+ identity and issues with restroom privacy. Dominguez reported that male officers continued to use the women's changing area, and one walked in while she was partially undressed. When she requested privacy, a sergeant reportedly expressed annoyance, and a captain later asked her to make the women's bathroom accessible to male colleagues. A fellow officer also allegedly threatened to defecate in her sink if she locked the door.
In 2022, Dominguez received a performance review that initially described her as "below expectations" and "annoyed," suggesting psychological services. This evaluation was later revised after she refused to sign it, with the negative comments removed and her demeanor described as "distracted."
Seeking reinstatement to the SWAT team, back pay for lost wages, and compensatory damages, Dominguez is asking the court to prevent the city and police department from continuing these alleged unlawful practices. She had previously been the first female officer to successfully complete the rigorous SWAT tryout process.