Palm Springs Police Department employee alleges wrongdoing in lawsuit; city says claims are baseless

A Palm Springs Police Department employee has filed a lawsuit alleging evidence tampering, workplace discrimination and retaliation during nearly a decade of employment, but Police Chief Andy Mills says his department investigated the allegations and found no wrongdoing.

The 66-year-old woman filed the complaint in Riverside County Superior Court April 17, claiming the police department used expired rape kits for suspects with falsified expiration dates, allowed evidence to be mishandled in homicide cases, and subjected her to age and disability discrimination when she reported the alleged misconduct.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages against the city and two police supervisors for alleged violations of state employment and whistleblower protection laws. The woman worked as the department’s sole civilian crime scene technician for roughly a decade and is still technically employed by the department, though she was demoted in April 2024.

Although the events described in the lawsuit occurred before he became chief, Mills said by phone Friday that he instructed his team to thoroughly review the complaint, concluding that “We literally did, in our opinion, nothing wrong.”

The chief also defended the department’s evidence handling procedures, noting that courts have been satisfied with their cases and they obtain convictions.

Regarding the sexual assault kits for suspects, Mills said the department checked with the state Department of Justice and confirmed there is no expiration date on the kits themselves.

“That date is to remind staff to examine the kits and make sure they are in good working order,” Mills said, explaining that dates are placed on kits as maintenance reminders, not expiration dates.

Mills confirmed the employee was demoted in 2024 for performance issues. He said the department makes decisions, including those regarding personnel, to “protect this community” and ensure delivery of “the best and highest quality police service as possible.”

While the city has not yet filed a formal response to the lawsuit in court, it issued a statement Friday saying it takes the claims seriously and is committed to “upholding the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and accountability.”

“The Palm Springs Police Department operates with the highest standards of professionalism and accountability. Our evidence-handling protocols are rigorous, routinely audited, and consistently upheld in court proceedings,” the city said in the statement. “We have full confidence in our personnel decisions and the integrity of our procedures.”

The city said it is “prepared to vigorously defend against these baseless claims through the appropriate legal process.”

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