Shirley Burgos is a central figure in the misconduct complaint alleging widespread racism, sexism, and homophobia within the department. According to the complaint, Burgos:
- Repeatedly made racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks, including calling a supervisor a “gay ass bitch” and using the slur “wetback” to describe a Latina janitor.
- Made disparaging remarks about Black people, including offensive stereotypes about grape soda and weak livers.
- Mocked officer candidates based on their physical appearance, reportedly failing applicants for being “overweight,” “ugly,” or “creepy.”
- Referred to a colleague as “the little gay one” and used the c-word to describe a female acting officer-in-charge.
- Illegally shared disqualified candidates’ information with other agencies, boasting, “You scratch my back; I’ll scratch yours.”
- Participated in inappropriate conversations with other officers, such as discussing deporting a candidate.
