Lawsuit Accuses Philly of Denying Promotions for 5 White Police Officers

A conservative nonprofit is suing Philadelphia and the city’s police department on behalf of five white male officers who claim they were denied promotions and career advancements due to their race and sex.

On Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, America First Legal (AFL) announced a federal class-action lawsuit against the city, Philadelphia Police and senior law enforcement officials who implemented Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) hiring and promotion policies within the department.

According to the lawsuit, five white male officers were bypassed for promotions to captain and lieutenant in favor of non-white male candidates. The lawsuit claims the five officers had higher civil-service exam scores than the candidates they were passed over for. It also claims the five officers had strong service records, positive annual performance reviews and significant experience in law enforcement.

The AFL said the lawsuit challenges Philadelphia’s “Rule of Five” policy which replaced the city’s previous “Rule of Two” policy. Under the “Rule of Two,” only the two highest ranking candidates on the eligible list were submitted to the requesting department for an interview during municipal hiring in Philadelphia. The city eliminated the policy in 2021 in an effort to give the city more flexibility in addressing recruitment and diversity challenges in the wake of the death of George Floyd and the national conversation on race that followed.

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