LOS ANGELES : Ex-Officer Wins $244,000 in Sexual Harassment Case

A former Los Angeles police officer will receive $244,000 from the city to settle a lawsuit in which she alleged that she was harassed by fellow officers who believed she was a lesbian.

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved the settlement for Gloria Sanchez, a 10-year police veteran who said her career was ruined by co-workers who taunted her and refused to work with her. The harassment came despite the fact that Sanchez had not stated her sexual orientation, said Dan Stormer, one of her attorneys. Sanchez, 35, left the Police Department two years ago and is now an investigator for an insurance company.