The white state trooper has sued the state police.
Joshua Mack, a white state trooper who was a member of Governor Shapiro’s security detail, is suing the state police in federal court, claiming racial discrimination. The trooper said diversity initiatives caused him to be removed from his position and replaced by minority troopers.
Mack is a corporal with the state police who had spent 14 years serving on the detail, and was the longest-serving supervisor on the detail aside from Cpl. John Nicholson. He said his removal in March followed comments from his supervisors discussing the need to hire more minorities to the detail.
Mack said a Black state trooper and a Hispanic state trooper were hired to replace him after he was removed from the detail.
The lawsuit is being brought against the Pennsylvania State Police, Cpl. John Nicholson, and Lt. Col. George Bivens under Title VII, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, and the contract clause of Section 1981. Mack is asking a federal judge to reinstate him to the security detail and order that he receive compensation for backpay and lost benefits.
Members of Governor Shapiro’s security detail receive specialized training, use a state-owned vehicle, and receive significant overtime opportunities, according to the lawsuit.
When Mack was removed from the detail and replaced by minority troopers, he was reassigned to another unit further from his home. He said he lost access to a state vehicle and lost the significant overtime opportunities.
The lawsuit alleges that after his removal, Mack’s supervisors have told him the decision was not based on performance or any legitimate reason.
Mack was removed from the governor’s security detail just a few weeks before Cody Balmer set fire to the Governor’s Residence using two Molotov cocktails.
