Is Richmond Police Chief Chris Magnus a racist? He’s white, but he’s also openly gay and is perhaps one of the most progressive police chiefs in the Bay Area. He also has a strong record of promoting people of color within the police department, and enjoys the full backing of the Richmond City Council, which is currently controlled by a progressive majority and led by Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, one of the few Green Party mayors in the country. Nonetheless, starting today, Magnus will be the main defendant in what is expected to be a twelve-week trial in which seven high-ranking black officers have sued the city for discrimination, claiming that Magnus denied them promotions in order to weaken black leadership within the department.
- Joseph Schell
- Magnus
