SFMTA targeted minority neighborhoods for tickets, says former worker in trial

In a trial against the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), former employee Elias Georgopoulos alleged that the agency targeted minority neighborhoods for parking citations. He claimed that the culture at SFMTA was rife with racism and that his reports of harassment went unaddressed. Georgopoulos wore a body camera to protect himself from bullying by a fellow officer and described feeling unsafe at work. Parking director Shawn McCormick denied using ethnic slurs against Georgopoulos and stated that he respected him until receiving complaints in 2019. The trial revealed that incidents of harassment were not thoroughly investigated, with witnesses often overlooked.

Assistant director Daisy Lucas corroborated Georgopoulos's claims, sharing her experiences of witnessing harassment and inadequate investigation. The case is being heard by Judge Daniel Flores after a mistrial in May required a reset. The outcome could have significant implications for workplace culture and policies at SFMTA.