Nassau County Sheriff's Deputy Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

CARLE PLACE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Nassau County sheriff's deputy says her unit was run like a fraternity house, with male officers constantly taunting her with sexist, degrading remarks.

In a civil lawsuit, Alicia Boudouris alleges sexual harassment and retaliation after she complained that her superiors in the Nassau County Sheriff's Office targeted her on an almost daily basis.

"It was constant," her attorney, Rick Ostrove, told reporters, including WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs, on Monday. "There were references to female body parts. There were references to what women look like, how women should act, sexual things involving women. And it was very degrading."

Ostrove listed some of the sexist profanity Boudouris claims she was subjected to at Nassau Family Court -- a daily barrage of vulgar remarks, some adolescent, CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported.

"Like 5-year-olds, just any comment about sex or gender was the type of comment they would jump on," Ostrove said. "When women who one of them found unattractive would come into the office, they would sometimes play the song 'Who Let The Dogs Out.'"

She claims the conditions were in no way appropriate for an office of the law.

"Her name was Boudouris, so they started calling her 'boob'-douris," Ostrove said.

Boudouris, who joined the force at age 45 hoping to protect and serve, said her complaints were not taken seriously and she was transferred to different a  department. She says an equal employment claim with Nassau County has gone nowhere for six months and that she's since filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the county and the sheriff. The suit names two of her co-workers, including a supervisor, Gusoff reported.

"I really wish it didn't come to this," she told 1010 WINS' Mona Rivera. "I didn't want it to come to litigation."

The union told Gusoff all county workers get harassment awareness training, but Boudouris' lawsuit claims it is minimal.

"The type of things that were being said are the type of things that we cannot say here today and should never be said in any workplace, especially law enforcement where people are assigned to protect the public," Ostrove said.

Boudouris, a married mother of two, has made no mention of damages sought in her federal claim. Ostrove said Boudouris wants to continue working for the department.

She has since been transferred from Nassau Family Court to do field work.

The Nassau County attorney issued a statement saying the office takes any allegation of this nature seriously and that it is fully investigating.

Speaking for the accused officers, the union said they have a right to be heard in the matter, Gusoff reported.

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