Southampton Town Police Detective Sergeant Lisa Costa Settles Discrimination Lawsuit

Southampton Town and Detective Sergeant Lisa Costa have settled a gender discrimination lawsuit, in which Det. Sgt. Costa alleged that she had been unfairly passed over for promotions and was sexually harassed as a female cop. Kelly Magnuson, an attorney with Burke, Scolamiero & Hurd, LLP, a law firm in Albany, who is representing Det. Sgt. Costa, said her client came to the settlement with town officials. Ms. Magnuson would not disclose the amount of the agreement, noting that it was a “confidential settlement.”The case was dismissed with prejudice on September 14, meaning that it is permanently closed.Town Attorney James Burke also declined to discuss the details of the settlement, pointing to the confidentiality agreement. “I’m not at liberty to say too much about it,” he said. He noted that the settlement did not indicate an admission of guilt on either side of the legal battle. Det. Sgt. Costa filed the lawsuit in 2014 against the town, claiming that she was denied promotions and special assignments in favor of male officers. The complaint detailed several instances of sexual harassment by other department officers and how she was passed over for promotions by male officers on several occasions, even though she was qualified for the job. Det. Sgt. Costa was hired as a seasonal officer in 1999 and quickly began climbing the ranks: She was promoted to a full-time police officer in 2000, a detective in 2005, and a sergeant in 2006. But at that point she hit the “glass ceiling” at the department, according to the complaint. “She is still employed there,” Ms. Magnuson noted of her client on Tuesday. “She hopes to continue, and she hopes she will be promoted to lieutenant—like she should be.”