San Antonio – A federal lawsuit filed on Oct. 30 by Officer Perla Dominguez, a 14‑year veteran of the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) and one of the first women to serve in the department’s SWAT unit, alleges a pattern of hazing, restroom harassment and discriminatory treatment.
Allegations detailed in the complaint
Dominguez joined SAPD SWAT in 2018 after passing a rigorous tryout process. The complaint says she was forced to change clothes in a women’s restroom that was routinely used by male SWAT members. In February 2019, a male teammate entered the restroom while she was partially undressed, and a supervisor allegedly mocked her in front of the unit, questioning why she needed a separate facility.
The suit further alleges that after Dominguez received a key to lock the restroom, the harassment continued for years. In November 2021, shortly after officers learned that Dominguez and her wife were expecting twins, a used condom was discovered in her locker. The item was removed by another officer, placed in a trash can and later collected by crime‑scene investigators. The department has not provided the results of any forensic testing on the item.
Ritual‑related claims and performance reviews
According to the filing, beginning in the summer of 2021, SWAT members began pressuring Dominguez to participate in a ritual that involved holding down new members and biting their buttocks before receiving a lightning‑bolt tattoo on the outer leg. Dominguez, who identifies as part of the LGBTQ community, says fellow officers also made provocative comments about a “nonbinary public figure.”
In February 2022, Dominguez received a performance review labeled “below expectations,” describing her as “annoyed” and recommending “psychological services.” After she refused to sign the review, a revised evaluation stating she “meets expectations” was issued, removing the recommendation for counseling.
Requests for reassignment and legal actions
Following the hostile environment, Dominguez requested reassignment to the department’s training academy in February 2022, a request the city granted. She filed a discrimination charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in July 2022 and received a right‑to‑sue letter in January. A second EEOC charge was filed in September 2025, with a right‑to‑sue letter issued in late March.
The city and SAPD entered a tolling agreement in the spring that paused settlement deadlines, but the city later terminated the agreement, ending it last month.
City response
A city spokeswoman told KSAT, “The City and SAPD take claims of harassment seriously. Although we do not feel her legal claims have merit, the City has tried to address Officer Dominguez’s complaints and to assure she is provided every opportunity to succeed. Now that suit has been filed, we will be defending against these claims.”
Dominguez’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
