QuickTake:

Springfield admits no wrongdoing as part of the agreement. A recruit fired in 2020 alleged a hostile work environment and also wrongdoing by an officer she had sex with, who was said to have shared explicit photos of her with other officers.

The city of Springfield has agreed to a $25,000 settlement to end a workplace sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former Springfield Police Department recruit.

Amanda McIntyre alleged a hostile work environment during her time as a recruit in 2020, when she was the only woman in her training class.

McIntyre contended in the lawsuit that she was told she was fired for not disclosing a relationship with a police sergeant. An officer — not named in the court documents — told her other officers had begun referring to her as a “bicycle recruit,” a sexually derogatory statement implying that officers could “take a ride” on her.

While she was a recruit, McIntyre, who was 26 at the time, had sex with a different officer, Robert Weaver. Another officer told her in 2021 that Weaver “had shown sexually explicit photos of her to officers and staff,” McIntyre contended in the lawsuit, which named Weaver as a defendant.

A court filing by the city last October stated that Weaver showed a nude photograph of McIntyre to other officers. The Springfield Police Department suspended Weaver for 14 days without pay and required him to take sexual harassment training, according to the city’s filing.

A jury trial had been scheduled to begin March 9, court records show.

“The City agreed to resolve this matter in order to avoid the continued expense, time, and uncertainty associated with litigation,” Elyse Ditzel, a city spokesperson, said in a statement. “Settlements are often reached when they are determined to be in the best interest of the City and the community, without any admission of wrongdoing.”

The settlement is paid out through the city’s insurance, Ditzel said. The settlement amount includes $2,500 in alleged wage loss damages and $22,500 in alleged noneconomic damages.

“We believe this lawsuit helped make the City of Springfield safer,” Meredith Holley, an attorney representing McIntyre said in a statement. “We are grateful to our client for her bravery in bringing this case.”

The seven-page settlement agreement, signed Feb. 5 by Springfield City Manager Nancy Newton, states that the city and Weaver “specifically deny any liability in this matter.” Weaver also signed the settlement agreement.

State law enforcement records show Weaver retired last July from the Springfield Police Department. Ditzel on Thursday confirmed Weaver’s retirement.

Also named in the lawsuit were Thomas Rappé, at the time a police lieutenant, and Richard Lewis, at the time Springfield’s police chief.

Last September, U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai allowed the lawsuit to move forward despite a motion by the city seeking summary judgment.

Motions for summary judgment claim the law clearly favors a specific decision so a trial isn’t necessary, with defendants typically seeking dismissal of claims against them.

Kasubhai partially granted the motion, allowing the dismissal of some claims as others moved forward. McIntyre filed the lawsuit in November 2021, and Kasubhai ordered the case dismissed in light of the settlement Monday, Feb. 9.