A St. Louis County jury has handed retired police lieutenant Mike Reifschneider a $6.2 million award after finding he was denied a promised promotion when he refused to retaliate against a Black colleague. The civil verdict came down Monday in Clayton and caps a case Reifschneider first brought in 2022, alleging retaliation inside the county police ranks.
Jurors sided with Reifschneider on his claims and set the damages at $6.2 million at the end of the trial, according to reporting by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He told jurors he lost a promotion he had been promised after he refused to carry out retaliatory action against a colleague, the outlet reported.
What the Lawsuit Says
Reifschneider’s civil complaint, filed in 2022, accuses St. Louis County of violating the Missouri Human Rights Act in connection with internal personnel decisions. Court documents show that he first took his claims to the Missouri Commission on Human Rights in May 2021 and later received a right-to-sue notice in March 2022, according to filings made public by the Riverfront Times.
Jury Ruling and Reaction
After hearing testimony and reviewing evidence, the jury returned a $6.2 million verdict in Reifschneider’s favor. He has maintained that county police leadership pulled back a promotion because he refused to retaliate against a Black coworker, a claim detailed in coverage from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
How This Fits With Previous County Cases
The verdict joins a growing list of high-dollar employment and misconduct cases tied to St. Louis-area law enforcement that have drawn attention well beyond the region. For comparison, a 2019 jury award in another promotion-discrimination case generated extensive coverage and ultimately led to a multi-million-dollar settlement, as reported by the St. Louis American.
Legal Next Steps and Budget Questions
Because St. Louis County is a public entity, Missouri law places specific limits and conditions on how much can actually be collected on certain verdicts. Those rules are set out in state statute and can affect the final recovery amount and whether punitive remedies are available. The relevant provisions appear in the Revised Statutes of Missouri at RSMo §537.610.
County officials must now decide whether to appeal, how to factor any eventual payout into the county budget, and what role insurance coverage might play. Post-trial motions and any appellate moves will determine the true financial hit. The case also keeps a spotlight on how promotions and personnel decisions are made inside the county police department, an issue likely to keep drawing scrutiny from elected leaders and residents alike.
