White Male Officers Sue Philadelphia Over Alleged Race and Sex Bias in Promotions
A federal class-action lawsuit has been filed by five white male police officers in Philadelphia, who accuse the city and its police department of denying them promotions based on their race and sex. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, claims the officers were passed over for advancement in favour of candidates who were either Black or women, sparking a legal battle over diversity policies in the force.
Details of the Lawsuit and Officers Involved
The lawsuit, brought forward by America First Legal—a conservative legal group co-founded by former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller—represents Lieutenants Christopher Bloom, Kollin Berg, and Joseph Musumeci, who were denied promotion to captain, and Sergeants Marc Monachello and Leroy Ziegler Jr., who were passed over for advancement to lieutenant in November 2025. According to the filing, each officer had high civil exam scores, strong service records, positive annual performance reviews, and significant law-enforcement experience, yet were overlooked for non-white male candidates with lower scores and rankings on promotion-eligibility lists.
Challenging Philadelphia's 'Rule of Five' Policy
The lawsuit specifically targets Philadelphia's 'Rule of Five' policy, implemented in 2021 to increase representation of minority and female candidates in supervisory roles. America First Legal argues this policy is illegal and discriminatory, as it replaced the previous 'Rule of Two' policy, which allowed only the top two candidates on civil service eligibility lists to be selected for promotion. The group contends that the new rule unfairly prioritises race and sex over merit, violating federal civil-rights laws.
Background on the Policy Change and Political Context
When then-Councilwoman Cherelle Parker, now Philadelphia's mayor, introduced legislation in 2021 to eliminate the 'Rule of Two', she emphasised the need for substantive changes to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion. Parker stated, 'It is one thing for an employer to say, 'Black Lives Matter,' and an entirely different thing for an employer to make real, substantive changes'. She argued that the old policy had long held back Black and Brown employees from promotions, calling the new legislation a necessary step toward a workforce more reflective of the city's demographics, though not a 'silver bullet'.
Legal Arguments and Responses
Nick Barry, Senior Counsel at America First Legal, asserted in a statement that federal civil-rights law prohibits employers from making promotion decisions based on race or sex, emphasising that promotions should be based on excellence, experience, and performance rather than protected characteristics. In response to inquiries, the Philadelphia Police Department and the mayor's office declined to comment, citing the active litigation. The case highlights ongoing tensions between diversity initiatives and allegations of reverse discrimination in public sector employment.
