A Boston Cop's Fight for Justice: Harassment, Firing, and a $1M Win

Enxhi Qirici, a former Boston police officer, recently won a $1 million verdict against the Boston Police Department. She claimed her colleagues made inappropriate comments about her personal life and relationship. The jury did not agree that her firing was due to discrimination or retaliation, but they did find that she faced a hostile work environment. Qirici, who moved to the U. S. from Albania, started dating a Black colleague in 2018. Soon after, her coworkers allegedly made lewd jokes and speculated about her pregnancy. She was fired during her probationary period in 2019. Qirici argued that her termination was unfair, while the department claimed her job performance was poor. During the trial, the Boston Police Department pointed to two incidents where Qirici allegedly lost her temper. In one, she had a heated argument with a Northeastern police officer about parking. In another, she cried in a bathroom after an interaction with a state trooper. After these incidents, she was put on desk duty and says she faced daily comments and speculation from her colleagues. Qirici filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination in early 2019 and was fired shortly after. Her attorney argued that the case was about fairness and equality. The jury awarded her $1 million in damages, which will grow to over $1. 5 million with interest.