A Los Angeles police officer who received the state's highest public safety award for helping rescue a man from a burning car has been awarded $125,000 in a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit.
The jury returned the verdict Friday, awarding Officer Paul Waymire damages for pain and suffering but no money for lost income.
Waymire sued the police department, claiming a Latino supervisor treated him differently because he was white. He says he filed a discrimination complaint with the state and was denied promotions in retaliation, even though he was more qualified than other applicants.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger presented the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor to Waymire and Officer Jeff Jensen for rescuing a 22-year-old man from a burning car on the Hollywood Freeway in 2005.
