Chapter 20: He's at it Again! Boston Herald (1996)

Years later, O'Ds discriminatory abuse continued and escalated.

This article appeared in the Spring of 1996 (exact date unknown), and was written by Laura Brown. O'D had left the MA State Police by then, and was working at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Agency (MBTA).

Seven female MBTA Police Officers filing discrimination complaint vs. boss

MBTA police Chief John O'Donovan has routinely "ignored, isolated and exiled" women on the force, seven female officers charge in a sexual discrimination complaint slated to be filed today.

The 42-count complaint to be sent to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination by nearly half of the 15 female officers on the T's 220-member force follows similar charges filed by female MBTA police captain in court last week.

O'Donovan has referred to the female officers as "girlie girls" and "unwed mothers" and to minority females as "colored girls," the complaint alleges.

"He's a sexist and he's crossed all racial lines," said officer Ardrena Parkman-Lyles, who has worked for the MBTA police for eight years and is one of the seven complainants.

We shouldn't have to tolerate this in our place of employment just because we're female, " she said yesterday.

She and other female officers have, more than their male colleagues, been regularly assigned to the undesirable or dangerous locations, have been passed over for promotions and have been singled out for punishment, according to the complaint.

Capt. Dolores Ford-Murphy, who charged in a lawsuit last week that O'Donovan has repeatedly denied her promotions, said each instance of harassment or discrimination affects all of the women.

"You can't separate what's happening to me from what's happening to all of us," she said yesterday.

MBTA Chief of Staff Phil Puccia said yesterday the MBTA board of directors has a "zero tolerance policy against any kind of harassment or discrimination."

"Therefore (the Board) views these charges seriously and has authorized the general manager to hire an independent counsel to review these and any other charges against the chief," he said.

"When the review is completed, the board will take appropriate action, " Puccia added.

O'Donovan could not be reached for comment.

A followup article written by David Weber at the Boston Herald was published on July 1, 1996.

7 female MBTA cops want chief fired

A group of female officers at the MBTA Police Department sent Gov. Willilam F. Weld a letter yesterday urging him to fire Chief John O'Donovan while their sexual and racial harassment complaints are pending against him.

"We're" trying to get across to the governor that this is not a victimless crime," said MBTA police Capt. Dolores Ford-Murphy.

"I have to go in every day and report directly to the man I've complained against."

Ford-Parker said she listed 57 counts of discrimination in her complaint filed with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination in March. On June 18, she also filed a lawsuit in Suffolk Superior Court.

Weld, who appointed O'Donovan to the top post at the T in 1991, assumed a cautious stance on the allegations yesterday.

"We're looking very closely at that, " the governor said. "If there's any substantial claims of sexual harassment, we will take appropriate action.)....It's not at the point in terms of evidence where we think that disciplinary action has to be taken right now, but we're keeping a close eye on it.

"We're looking very closely at that, " the governor said. "If there's any substantial claims of sexual harassment, we will take appropriate action.)

"Some of those things go back 15 years and don't have substantiation, but now there's a number of (allegations). lt's not at the point in terms of evidence where we think that disciplinary action had to be taken right now, but we're keeping a close eye on it."

Ford-Murphy and Officer Lynn Davis are the only two of the 14 officers on the transit police force who officially have filed complaints. But Ford-Murphy said five more are expected to formalize complaints in the coming weeks.

Ford-Murphy alleges that she was passed over for promotion because she is a woman.

Among the numerous other charges, she claims that O'Donovan inappropriately spoke about FBI Academy "panty raids" in the presence of female officers. She also said O'Donovan has referred to black female officers as "our colored Girls."