Former Durham Deputy Police Chief Shari Montgomery today filed discrimination charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging she was systematically sidelined and ultimately fired for being Black and raising concerns about her boss.
Montgomery, a 25-year veteran of the department who became deputy chief in early 2021, claims in her EEOC filing that her troubles began that year when then-City Manager Wanda Page sought her input on police chief candidates. When asked about Patrice Andrews, who would eventually be selected for the position, Montgomery expressed concerns about what she described as a pattern of “inappropriate” conduct by Andrews, which she believes Page then shared with Andrews.
In an email to the INDY, Durham Director of Public Affairs Beverly Thompson wrote that “the City has not received a notice from the EEOC regarding Ms. Montgomery’s charges and allegations against the police department, so we cannot comment at this time.” The Durham Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The complaint alleges a three-year campaign of professional isolation followed, culminating in Montgomery being fired last week. Montgomery—who served as interim police chief before Andrews was hired and did not seek the permanent position—claims she was removed from leading the department’s high-profile Investigative Services division, reassigned to Field Operations overseeing 911 calls, and excluded from strategic decisions typically involving someone of her rank.
Things came to a head in October 2024 when Montgomery was abruptly placed on administrative leave. According to her EEOC filing, she was initially accused of unauthorized communication with officers about an internal affairs matter, with additional charges following in November, including allegations that she mishandled disciplinary record procedures a decade ago.
“I was placed on desk duty and assigned menial administrative work in the property and evidence unit—a placement clearly meant to humiliate me in front of colleagues,” Montgomery states in her filing. She was officially terminated on April 11.
Montgomery alleges the investigation that led to her firing stemmed from complaints that the city’s officer promotion system is biased against Black applicants—though she claims she “had no responsibility for the development or administration of the matrix.” Her filing contends she was treated more severely than two white senior officers who were more directly involved with the promotional process: a white assistant chief accused of taking unauthorized payments kept his badge and gun when placed on leave while Montgomery’s were immediately confiscated, the filing reads, and a white deputy chief sanctioned for supervisory failures related to the promotion protocols only received verbal counseling.
Montgomery’s attorney, Artur Davis of HKM Employment Attorneys LLP, characterized Montgomery as “a remarkable law enforcement professional who has fallen victim to a double standard that is quick to judge, punish and fire Black officers” in a release.
Montgomery’s filing cites statistics claiming Black officers face disproportionate discipline at DPD. According to these figures, while Black officers make up less than a quarter of the force, they receive 41 percent of disciplinary actions. And in the past decade, nearly 70 percent of Black officers currently employed by DPD have received some form of discipline, the filing states, compared to 25 percent of white officers currently on the force.
The filing also attributes Montgomery’s termination in part to retaliation for obtaining legal representation. In late November 2024, while on forced leave, Montgomery retained counsel who sent letters to city officials outlining potential discrimination claims.
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Reach Staff Writer Lena Geller at lgeller@indyweek.com. Comment on this story at backtalk@indyweek.com