FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Systemic Failures at NYPD Cited in New Filing Detailing Pattern of Supervisory Abuse and Institutional Indifference

New York, NY – June 27, 2025 — In a stunning and deeply disturbing development, NYPD Detective Shatorra Foster has filed a Verified Answer With Counterclaims against Plaintiff/Counterclaim-Defendant Trevlyn Headley and the City of New York, detailing a prolonged campaign of unwanted sexual conduct, psychological coercion, and professional retaliation committed by a supervisory officer within the NYPD. The claims span violations of the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL), New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL), and the Gender-Motivated Violence Act (GMVA), and paint a harrowing picture of power-based abuse sustained and sanctioned within the department.

The allegations—spanning from September 2023 through November 2024—include graphic and detailed accounts of repeated nonconsensual oral sex, coercive sexual remarks, retaliatory threats, and a particularly egregious March 14, 2024 incident in which Headley, on duty and in uniform, allegedly forced oral sex upon Foster inside a dormitory at NYPD Headquarters.

The counterclaims allege a sustained course of coercive and nonconsensual sexual conduct—including the March 14, 2024, dormitory assault—that collectively qualifies as criminal sexual acts under New York Penal Law §§ 130.05 and 130.50. This pattern of abuse forms the basis for a gender-motivated violence claim under the New York City Gender-Motivated Violence Act (GMVA).

According to the filing:

“The oral sex committed on March 14, 2024, while Foster was isolated in a secured dormitory, was committed without consent, through abuse of authority and psychological coercion, and qualifies as criminal sexual conduct… These actions meet the definition of a gender-motivated act of violence under the GMVA.”

A Broader Pattern of Sexual Misconduct and Institutional Indifference Within the NYPD

The allegations set forth by Foster are not isolated. Rather, they reflect a longstanding and deeply entrenched pattern of sexual harassment, coercion, and institutional neglect within the New York City Police Department. Over the past decade, multiple female officers and employees have come forward with credible claims of sexual misconduct by supervisory personnel—claims that, disturbingly, mirror the power abuses, psychological coercion, and retaliatory cover-ups alleged here.

In the instant matter, Foster alleges not only a sustained course of coerced sexual conduct by Headley, but also that the misconduct was part of a broader, well-known pattern. The counterclaims further allege that Headley has a long-documented history of sexually inappropriate, coercive, and retaliatory conduct toward other female officers, both within and outside the workplace. Despite this, the NYPD’s Office of Equity and Inclusion and Internal Affairs Bureau failed to take corrective or preventive action, thereby demonstrating, as the pleading characterizes, deliberate indifference or reckless disregard for the rights and safety of subordinate officers.

“Upon information and belief, supervisory personnel and internal oversight bodies within the NYPD—including the Office of Equity and Inclusion and Internal Affairs Bureau—were aware, or should have been aware, of Plaintiff/Counterclaim-Defendant TREVLYN HEADLEY’s longstanding pattern of sexually inappropriate, coercive, and retaliatory conduct toward other female officers, both within and outside the workplace,” the Verified Answer and Counterclaims state.

While Foster is the first to publicize claims against Headley formally, the suit alludes to a known internal pattern of abuse. According to the pleading, internal whispers and informal complaints suggest Headley has exhibited a pattern of predatory behavior targeting younger female subordinates, often concealed beneath a performative façade of mentorship or professional concern. The suit alleges that Headley exploited her rank, the chain-of-command hierarchy, and the NYPD’s protected culture of silence to identify, manipulate, and dominate vulnerable female officers. Her conduct, the filing contends, was further enabled by the Department’s failure to intervene, investigate, or discipline her, even after being placed on notice of her misconduct.

Foster’s allegations are consistent with a growing number of publicized cases in which women within the NYPD have reported similar patterns of sexual harassment and institutional betrayal. For example, in Captain Gabrielle Walls v. City of New York, the plaintiff alleged pervasive harassment and retaliation after disclosing misconduct by senior officials. Shemalisca Vasquez, Ann Cardenas, and Angelique Olaechea all raised comparable claims—each involving unwanted sexual advances, systemic minimization of complaints, and retaliatory transfers or disciplinary threats. In perhaps the most high-profile case to date, Retired Lieutenant Quathisha Epps filed a December 2024 EEOC charge alleging quid pro quo harassment by former NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey B. Maddrey. Following her disclosures, Epps was subjected to fabricated charges, unauthorized surveillance, and other related actions, including the revocation of her law enforcement certification and the unauthorized clawback of lawfully earned overtime monies.

Taken together, these cases reveal an institutional culture within the NYPD that protects harassers, punishes survivors, and fosters impunity at the highest levels of command. Despite years of litigation, public audits, and internal reviews—including the Equal Employment Practices Commission’s 2020 report highlighting systemic deficiencies in NYPD’s EEO response mechanisms—meaningful structural reform remains elusive.

In this context, Foster’s counterclaims are not merely personal; they are also substantive. They are emblematic of a broader culture of unaccountability within the Department, where power is routinely abused, sexual misconduct is normalized, and internal systems are weaponized against those who speak out. Her legal action seeks not only individual redress but a long-overdue reckoning with the institutional forces that allowed Headley’s conduct to flourish.

Retaliation After Withdrawal

The counterclaims further detail a campaign of retaliation following Foster’s attempts to withdraw from the unwanted relationship. Headley allegedly orchestrated false disciplinary charges against Foster, resulting in public humiliation, professional damage, and emotional trauma. The City of New York is named as a defendant based on claims that it failed to investigate or intervene, and instead ratified the retaliation by sustaining the fabricated charges.

Legal Claims and Relief Sought

Foster seeks redress under the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) and the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL) for sexual harassment, the creation of a hostile work environment, and unlawful retaliation. Her Verified Answer and Counterclaims detail a sustained course of coercive, degrading, and nonconsensual sexual conduct initiated by her supervisor, Headley, between October 2023 and June 2024. The alleged conduct includes repeated instances of unwanted oral sex, coercive threats, possessive and sexually explicit language, and the abuse of supervisory power to control and isolate Foster.

Foster alleges that this pattern of abuse culminated in a violent sexual assault on March 14, 2024, inside a secured NYPD dormitory at One Police Plaza while Headley was on duty and in uniform. This incident, among others, constitutes a criminal sexual act under New York Penal Law §§ 130.05 and 130.50 and part of the pattern of behavior constituting the basis of a gender-motivated violence claim under the New York City Gender-Motivated Violence Act (GMVA). Foster further alleges that after withdrawing from the coerced sexual relationship, she was subjected to retaliatory acts, including formal disciplinary charges that the City of New York knowingly pursued in disregard of the documented misconduct by Headley.

Accordingly, Foster seeks compensatory and punitive damages, injunctive relief, attorneys’ fees and costs, and all other relief the Court deems proper. Her claims demand accountability not only from Headley as an individual wrongdoer, but also from the City of New York for its institutional complicity and ratification of the unlawful conduct.

Statement from Counsel

Eric Sanders, Esq., of The Sanders Firm, P.C., who represents Foster, stated:

“This case is not just about one supervisor’s abusive conduct. It’s about an entire system that fails to protect the most vulnerable within its ranks. No one should endure sexual coercion or retaliation under the badge of public service. The NYPD and the City of New York must be held accountable not just for what they did—but what they failed to stop.”

About The Sanders Firm, P.C.

Fighting for Justice and Reform to Promote Equal Opportunity

Led by Eric Sanders, Esq., The Sanders Firm, P.C. has a proven track record in civil rights litigation, representing clients in complex cases involving law enforcement misconduct and employment discrimination. Mr. Sanders, a former police officer, leverages deep insight into systemic issues facing law enforcement agencies. The firm has successfully recovered millions in damages and remains committed to promoting fairness, integrity, and meaningful reform within public institutions.

Contact: Eric Sanders, Esq.
President and Owner, The Sanders Firm, P.C.
30 Wall Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10005
Phone: (212) 652-2782

###

Read the Verified Answer With Counterclaims