White Police Officers Sue Philadelphia Over DEI Promotions, Say They Were Passed Over for Political Reasons

Several white police officers filed a lawsuit against the city of Philadelphia in federal court last week, alleging they were passed over for promotions due to diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

America First Legal filed a federal class-action lawsuit “on behalf of white male Philadelphia Police Department officers who were passed over for promotions and denied advancement because of their race and sex.”

“AFL is suing the City of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Police Department, and senior law enforcement officials who implemented DEI hiring and promotion policies in an effort to ensure that the racial and gender makeup of the city’s police force mirrors the city’s population as a whole, regardless of individual merit,” a news release said.

“The plaintiffs and class representatives include five police officers — each with high civil exam scores, strong service records, positive annual performance reviews, and significant law-enforcement experience — who were bypassed for promotions to captain and lieutenant in favor of non-white male candidates with lower civil-service exam scores and lower rankings on the promotion-eligibility lists,” the release continued.

“The complaint directly challenges the city’s ‘Rule of Five’ policy, a DEI promotion system that the city adopted after the death of George Floyd for the purpose of allowing officials to bypass higher-ranked white male candidates in favor of lower-ranked female and minority candidates.”

Nick Barry, senior counsel at America First Legal, said that “federal civil-rights law prohibits employers from making promotion decisions based on race or sex.”

“Put simply, employers cannot use protected characteristics to override merit,” he described. “Promotions must be based on excellence, experience, and performance, not on the race or sex of the candidate.”

America First Legal also included a warning to “any public or private employer” seeking to use DEI hiring methods, saying they will launch lawsuits against them.

“AFL is committed to rooting out and destroying DEI in the United States, and it will sue any public or private employer that uses illegal race or sex preferences in hiring or promotions. Hiring and other employment practices must be based on merit and excellence.”

Upon assuming office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order entitled, “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing.”

“The Biden Administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government, in areas ranging from airline safety to the military,” Trump wrote.

“That ends today,” the president declared. “Americans deserve a government committed to serving every person with equal dignity and respect, and to expending precious taxpayer resources only on making America great.”

Despite executive orders being directed at federal agencies and departments only, the commander-in-chief can still withhold federal funding to state and local entities if they do not abide by the directive.

Houston Public Media published an article last year admitting this was the case, adding that Trump’s anti-DEI policies are trickling down to lower levels of law enforcement.

“Because police departments are eligible to apply for federal grants for equipment or to help pay for an officer’s position… there could be hesitance on going against the grain,” the article read.

The Trump administration has also been publicly encouraging individuals who believe they have been a victim of DEI polices to file lawsuits.

Back in December, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chair Andrea Lucas posted a video to the social media site X, encouraging white males who felt discriminated against to speak out.

Are you a white male who has experienced discrimination at work based on your race or sex?
You may have a claim to recover money under federal civil rights laws. Contact the @USEEOC as soon as possible.

The EEOC is committed to identifying, attacking, and eliminating ALL race… pic.twitter.com/BYjbld5zdv

— EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas (@andrealucasEEOC) December 17, 2025

“Are you a white male who has experienced discrimination at work based on your race or sex? You may have a claim to recover money under federal civil rights laws,” she wrote.

“The EEOC is committed to identifying, attacking, and eliminating ALL race and sex discrimination — including against white male employees and applicants.”

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