A former Des Peres public safety officer says his career in the west St. Louis County suburb was slowly squeezed out of him after he raised concerns about how the department operated. In a new civil lawsuit, he accuses city leaders and supervisors of racial discrimination, retaliation and a hostile work environment that he argues left him no real choice but to quit in mid-2024.
What the lawsuit alleges
The complaint, filed by former officer Gregory Van Mierlo, describes a pattern of discipline and pushback that he says began after he questioned department practices. According to the suit, he was hit with a series of write-ups and repeatedly told to “get on board and stop complaining.”
Van Mierlo’s lawsuit alleges that one supervisor admitted disciplining an African American officer partly to avoid the appearance of discrimination, and that a superior later conditioned Van Mierlo’s return to duty on his apologizing to the police chief and promising not to sue. The filing also notes that he obtained a Notice of Right to Sue from the Missouri Commission on Human Rights and is seeking damages in excess of $25,000, as reported by FOX 2.
Filing and court record
Court records show Van Mierlo filed the lawsuit on May 29, 2026, in St. Louis County Circuit Court under case number 26SL-CC04057, according to Missouri Case.net. The complaint names the City of Des Peres as the defendant and requests more than $25,000 in damages.
The case docket, which will be updated as the city responds and as any hearings are scheduled, is available to the public through the state’s online portal.
Discipline and timeline
According to the lawsuit, Van Mierlo worked for the Des Peres Department of Public Safety from 2013 through 2024. The complaint states that formal discipline was imposed on him in March 2024 and that he sought treatment from a licensed therapist during that time.
The filing further alleges that the city, including a city-hired evaluator, ultimately declared him unfit for duty. Van Mierlo resigned on June 9, 2024, a departure the lawsuit characterizes as a constructive discharge, per reporting by FOX 2.
City response and next steps
The City of Des Peres has acknowledged it is aware of the lawsuit but declined to comment further, according to court reporting. The city will have an opportunity to formally answer the complaint, and the case will move into discovery and any motions or hearings that are set by the court.
Those developments will appear on the public docket, which can be accessed via the state’s online system, Missouri Case.net. Hoodline will monitor filings and update readers as the city and attorneys file new responses or as court dates are scheduled.
Legal implications
Because Van Mierlo requested and received a Notice of Right to Sue from the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, his claims can proceed in state court under the Missouri Human Rights Act. That step typically clears the way for a civil lawsuit but also comes with deadlines and other procedural rules.
The commission outlines how the right-to-sue process works and the timelines that apply on its website: Missouri Commission on Human Rights.
The case adds another personnel dispute to an already close look at policing and municipal employment practices in the region. Hoodline will continue tracking the court record and report back when there are new filings or scheduled hearings.
