Former Golden Valley interim police chief accuses city of discrimination in lawsuit

Golden Valley's former interim police chief has filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging discrimination that favored a Black applicant for the chief job and saying he had no choice but to resign from the department.

Scott Nadeau, who is white, served as police chief in Columbia Heights and director of public safety in Maplewood. He retired in 2021 but returned to serve as Golden Valley's interim chief. Nadeau and current Chief Virgil Green, who is Black, were the two finalists for the permanent job — but Nadeau resigned and dropped out of contention a day after Mayor Shep Harris said he preferred Green and called for an investigation into racism in the police department.

The suit claims Nadeau was "replaced by a black male for the express purpose of increasing racial diversity." Nadeau's suit alleges the city, Harris and a member of the city police accountability commission discriminated against him on the basis of his race, and that Harris defamed him. The lawsuit was filed in federal court on June 30.

In a statement, Golden Valley said it disputes Nadeau's claims, noting that Nadeau was one of two finalists for chief when he resigned and withdrew from consideration.

"Mr. Nadeau publicly stated that the Police Chief search process was 'transparent, community-centered and community-involved,' and that intimidation and racism had not been factors," the city's statement read. "The City does not make hiring decisions based on race."

Harris, who is not seeking re-election, declined to comment. Nadeau's attorneys did not respond to a voicemail Thursday.

The hiring of a chief was fraught, as the police department struggled with high turnover and some officers balked at equity and inclusion trainings led by city staff. The tension came to a head in early March 2022, when the field had been narrowed to Nadeau and Green, and community members favoring each candidate tried to campaign for their pick.

During a City Council meeting on March 1, 2022, Harris said he understood members of the police department were threatening to resign if Nadeau was not chosen as chief.

Harris said some residents, some officers and one of the police chief finalists had interfered in the search process and attempted to sway community and city commission members whose input was sought during the hiring process. Nadeau claimed Harris defamed him with that statement.

The lawsuit also attacks Green's qualifications and those of Assistant Chief Alice White, who also is Black. Nadeau's complaint notes Green had previously been fired twice, but does not discuss the circumstances of those firings.

Green has said one firing came after he called for another police agency to investigate the mishandling of evidence in the Spencer, Okla., police department, where he was chief at the time. The Oklahoman reported the matter ended with the firing of the city manager who had fired Green, and embezzlement charges for three city employees.

Another firing in Arkansas followed Green's arrest of two council members and a police officer.

Nadeau's complaint also states that White was hired only after educational requirements were eliminated from the job description, and that there were white officers in Golden Valley who met the requirements.

Green has said be believes Golden Valley hired him because he was in line with the council's goals for diversity, equity and inclusion and their interest in making Golden Valley a national model for policing. Nadeau argued in the suit that he, too, could have been effective in diversifying the department and building community trust.

This is the second lawsuit brought in relation to Harris' comments during the March 2022 council meeting. Earlier this year, the head of the Golden Valley Crime Prevention Fund sued Harris for defamation in Hennepin County court. That suit is ongoing.

Nadeau is seeking damages of at least $75,000, claiming the episode caused him embarrassment and lost wages and benefits. Nadeau receives more than $142,000 per year from his state pension.

Staff writer Kim Hyatt contributed to this report.