Jackson County detention worker claims harassment, discrimination in lawsuit
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Sergeant Crystal Hale sues Jackson County alleging discrimination and harassment.
- Lawsuit claims supervisors created hostile work environment after her promotion.
- Hale seeks damages, job-restoration changes and a jury trial after a right-to-sue notice.
A sergeant working at the Jackson County Detention Center has filed a lawsuit alleging discrimination and harassment by her colleagues.
The lawsuit, filed March 11 in Jackson County Circuit Court, was brought by Crystal Hale, a Black woman who has worked at the county jail for nearly a decade.
According to the petition, Hale said she began working at the detention center in 2015 and eventually rose to the rank of sergeant, supervising officers and overseeing operations. Hale said that after her promotion, she was subjected to a hostile work environment created by supervisors, according to the lawsuit.
In court records, Hale alleges that a captain directed another officer to closely monitor her and referred to her as “dirty,” a remark she reported internally. Her complaint was later deemed unsubstantiated, according to court filings.
Hale also alleges she was subjected to inappropriate and sexualized comments by another superior, including remarks about her appearance and insinuations about her interactions with inmates, with one comment saying she was “looking for a boyfriend.”
Hale’s attorney, David Lunceford, declined to comment about the lawsuit.
The complaint alleges she was escorted to a closed-door meeting with FBI agents and was asked about contraband that was allegedly found inside the county jail.
Hale helped deliver mail because the jail employee assigned to the mail delivery was regularly behind on their schedule. That other employee was never questioned by FBI officials, according to the complaint.
The complaint claims Hale had a positive relationship with individuals detained on her floor, and would frequently receive information from them that others did not. The complaint claims that Hale would “unfailingly” report any information she received about contraband, misconduct or planned rule violations to other officers and their supervisors.
While being questioned by federal investigators, Hale alleges she was asked if she went by a nickname that was a derogatory slur, which the complaint said was offensive and humiliating.
FBI spokesperson, Dixon Land, declined to comment about allegations Hale made in her lawsuit.
Hale was given paperwork in Sept. 2023 by human resources officials and informed that she was required to sign the documents in order to retain her employment and continue receiving pay, according to the complaint.
She was temporarily reassigned to work as a security officer at the county courthouse.
When Hale was introduced to her new coworkers at the courthouse, she was introduced as one of the officers who was ‘caught up’ at the jail, which the complaint alleges damaged her reputation and associated her with wrongdoing.
“As a result of her reassignment, Plaintiff has been denied overtime opportunities, training opportunities, and holiday pay,” court records said. “Plaintiff remains in this temporary assignment and continues to be placed on administrative leave.”
The complaint claims Hale has repeatedly tried to find out more about the status of the FBI investigation but has not received any updates.
“Despite being advised that she is not on disciplinary status, Plaintiff has been subjected to treatment consistent with formal discipline for months after filing complaints and participating in the federal investigation,” the filing said.
Hale’s petition includes claims for race discrimination, sex and gender discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation for reporting misconduct and participating in an investigation.
Court records allege that the detention center failed to properly investigate her complaints and allowed discriminatory practices to persist.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for lost wages, emotional distress, and career harm. Hale is also requesting a jury trial and changes that would restore her to the position she would have held absent the alleged misconduct.
The case follows a complaint Hale filed with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, which issued her a right-to-sue notice in December 2025.
Capt. Ronda Montgomery, a spokesperson for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, said that, because the case is in litigation and not all the facts are known, the agency would be unable to comment at this time.
