Opinion ID: 1451762
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Instant Complaint

Text: It is against this background that one of the Department's civilian employeesan African-American female typistbrought a new complaint of racial discrimination to the special master's attention. Her complaint triggered the series of decisions that led to the present appeal. When the special master forwarded this new complaint to the parties and requested a response, the City filed an objection with the district court. It insisted the special master's mandate is limited to complaints brought by police officers, and that he lacks authority to make findings and recommendations on the complaints of civilian employees. On December 19, 2005 the district court entered an order stating that the City's objection to the investigation of the complaint... is referred to the Special Master in light of the Court's recent approval of the stipulated slur and harassment policy. The City then moved for reconsideration, which the district court denied in an order entered August 14, 2006. That court ruled the case should remain with the special master for him to determine in the first instance whether the complaint falls within his purview under the remedial order and the slur and harassment policy. The City now challenges Judge Arterton's denial of its motion for reconsideration. It argues that the complaint of a civilian employee of the Police Department falls outside the special master's authority and the special master lacks authority under the 1983 remedial order to determine the scope of his own authority in the first instance. Because the remedial order does not supply such authority, the City maintains, the district court's referral of the City's objection must be considered a modification to that order and a new special master appointment under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 53. As such, the City tells us, the referral should be overturned because the district court did not comply with Rule 53. The Bridgeport Guardians aver we lack jurisdiction because there is no appealable order before us.