A breastfeeding D.C. police officer was forced to take leave without pay after the department refused to bend a new policy and allow her to work a desk job.
Officer Sashay Brown returned to work in May after having her second child. At first, she worked a desk job. Soon after, though, she was forced to patrol the city streets under a new department policy that was meant to force officers who had made dubious claims of health issues back to the street. The Washington Examiner first reported the new policy last week.
"Because of my condition, I am unable to wear my [bulletproof] vest," Brown wrote in her June 12 request to be detailed back to her station on limited duty. "Wearing my vest is extremely painful and could clog my ducts and slow down the production of my milk supply." She was then checked out by a department doctor, who advised that Brown be given a limited-duty desk job.
In a June 24 memo to Brown, medical services branch director William Sarvis wrote, "I have reviewed your case and determined that you will not receive authorization to participate in the limited duty work program."
Sarvis said that until department doctors determine Brown is fit for full duty, she'd either have to take sick leave, or unpaid leave if she didn't have sick days left.
"I'm just coming back from having a baby," Brown told The Washington Examiner. "I don't have any sick leave left."
She and her husband are now a one-income family. Brown plans to breastfeed through her child's first year.
"That's a long time to be without pay," she said. "I'm applying for short-term disability, and am hoping they allow this to be a medical condition."
Police Chief Cathy Lanier said: "The Department's leave policies for employees who become new parents are designed to address the medical and emotional needs of new families." In a statement to The Examiner, Lanier added: "The Department's lactation policy is also designed to accommodate mothers as they transition back to performing in a full-duty capacity."
Brown said she didn't have this problem when she had her first child, in 2009.
"I believe the department came up with this crazy policy because they don't have enough officers and they're trying to get officers back on the street," Brown said.
The force has about 3,850 officers and is losing 15 a month to attrition.
"Forcing breastfeeding police officers into financial ruin is not how you build morale and combat attrition," police union chief Kris Baumann said. "Instead it is a message to all current and potential D.C. police officers that this not an agency and government that cares about its officers or their families."
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