Former PAB director Dwyer Reynolds sues Rochester for defamation, discrimination and retaliation

Kayla Canne, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Updated ·2 min read

The former executive director of the Police Accountability Board has filed a lawsuit against the city of Rochester and several PAB employees and board members, claiming he was defamed, discriminated and retaliated against after filing a sexual harassment complaint against his supervisor last year.

Over the last year and a half, Conor Dwyer Reynolds has maintained that while leading the agency, he was subject to unwanted sexual advances by former PAB Board Chair Shani Wilson.

Dwyer Reynolds says that when he reported the harassment last summer, Wilson used her close personal relationships with city and PAB officials to drum up "baseless" complaints that led to his termination.

While a six-month independent investigation determined the complaints could not be substantiated ― and dismissed Dwyer Reynolds' claims of sexual harassment and retaliation as well, only going as far as to say some of Wilson's behavior was "inappropriate" ― he was ultimately fired in November 2022.

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In the lawsuit filed Wednesday, Dwyer Reynolds demands a jury trial over accusations that include, in part:

  • The city appointed Shani Wilson to lead the PAB despite previous allegations of workplace misconduct and retaliation;

  • The city did not equip board members with training in sexual harassment or retaliation;

  • The city allowed council members and an attorney with a conflict of interest to oversee the independent investigation, thus tainting its results;

  • Several city and PAB officials used their positions to issue statements discrediting Dwyer Reynolds' claims before the investigation was complete and tarnishing his reputation.

Conor Dwyer Reynolds, former Rochester Police Accountability Board executive director
Conor Dwyer Reynolds, former Rochester Police Accountability Board executive director

READ THE FULL LAWSUIT HERE: Conor Dwyer Reynolds v. City of Rochester

"In taking a job at (the city), Mr. Reynolds was asked to work to fix a longstanding problem within the City's police department ― namely, that powerful officials are incapable of addressing misconduct by the powerful," the lawsuit states. "The story of his firing proves that this problem of City government is not limited to Rochester's police department."

Who is named in Conor Dwyer Reynolds' lawsuit?

The 109-page complaint names the city of Rochester, former PAB board members Shani Wilson and Matthew Nickoloff, current PAB board member Drorah Setel, former PAB senior staffers Duwaine Bascoe and Deborah Campbell, and current PAB employee Natalie Banks.

City spokeswoman Barbara Pierce said Wednesday night that the city had not yet been served.

Have there been other related lawsuits?

This is the second lawsuit filed by Dwyer Reynolds against the city and the PAB.

In July 2022, he filed one that accused the board of flouting the Open Meetings Law when discussing and voting on his suspension and therefore taking the action illegally.

A state Supreme Court justice dismissed the complaint two months later, ruling that the technical violations were not enough to overturn his suspension.

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Kayla Canne reports on community justice and safety efforts for the Democrat and Chronicle. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com or on Twitter @kaylacanne.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: PAB discrimination lawsuit: Conor Dwyer Reynolds sues Rochester