Fired Reserve Police Officer’s Sexual Harassment Suit Settled

GARDEN GROVE — The City Council announced that it has settled a sexual harassment lawsuit, paying a fired reserve police officer $180,000 and allowing her to file a retroactive resignation.

Michaelle Seiter charged in her 1990 federal lawsuit that after six years of service she was demoted to reserve officer, and then fired, after ending a romantic relationship with former Police Chief John R. Robertson, who has since become chief of police of Orange.

Seiter alleged in the wrongful-termination suit that after ending the relationship and later refusing to renew it, she was assigned to night and weekend shifts and then demoted.

In a statement from Garden Grove City Atty. John Shaw, the council said that it “made a business decision to conclude this litigation by a negotiated settlement.”

Without admitting wrongdoing, the city agreed to pay Seiter the $180,000 and allow her to file the resignation. Seiter, according to the city, agreed to dismiss the suit, and all parties agreed not to discuss the matter.

A second Garden Grove officer, John Woods, who is still with the department, also was named in the suit. It alleged that Woods, at Robertson’s request, was responsible for “fabrication and distortion of written summaries of conversations” between Seiter and Woods.

Neither Shaw nor Seiter could be reached for comment. Robertson declined comment, citing the settlement terms.