BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A former Bakersfield Fire Department captain has been awarded $700,000 by a Kern County jury after filing a lawsuit against the city alleging racial discrimination and retaliation.

After more than 30 years of service, former Captain Quincy Sloan said he filed the lawsuit in 2020 to hold department leadership accountable for what he described as years of unequal treatment.

“Along with those good years came challenges, including discriminatory and harassment practices that no dedicated public servant should ever face,” Sloan said.

According to the lawsuit, Sloan was the first Black firefighter in the department’s history to reach the top spot on the battalion chief eligibility list. Court filings allege that despite earning the highest ranking, he was repeated

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