A jury awarded a collective $3.3 million in damages on Tuesday after finding that the Regents of the University of California had retaliated against three current or former members of its police department who reported workplace misconduct.
That broke down to roughly $1.8 million for former officer Jonathan Lee Reyes; $200,000 to former officer Michael Little; and $1.3 million for current officer Tiffany Little.
The jury also found that the other two plaintiffs in the consolidated case heard in late June and mid-July — Mark Signa and Matthew Stern — were not retaliated against and awarded them no money.
The jury did find, however, that the pair did report improper government activity.
The lawyer for the five plaintiffs, Jamie Keeton, told Noozhawk the verdict “represents a significant victory for accountability and for the legal protections afforded to employees who report misconduct in the workplace.”
She also asked for privacy for her clients, stating they “have endured years of professional, financial, and personal hardship while pursuing” the lawsuits.
“This case has always been about ensuring that employees can report misconduct without fear of retaliation and that public institutions remain accountable to the communities they serve,” Keeton said over text.
“They remained committed to seeking justice, not only for themselves but also to reinforce the principle that integrity should be protected, not punished. We are grateful to the jury for its careful consideration of the evidence and its commitment to upholding the rule of law.
“We hope this verdict serves as a reminder to all employers that retaliation against whistleblowers is unlawful, and that those who come forward in good faith deserve protection, not reprisal.”
A university spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A handful of current and former UCSB police officers — Signa, Stern, the Littles (a married couple) and Reyes, as well as Ryan Hashimoto, Ryan Smith and Amanda Siegel — filed lawsuits against the department between 2018 and 2021.
They largely alleged misconduct by UCPD employees, retaliation for filing complaints against other members of the department, and violations of the California Whistleblower Protection Act.
Many of the complaints from Signa, Reyes and the Littles centered around the workplace behavior of Smith and two other officers, Jeff Savaglio and Josh Rothermel.
Savaglio and Rothermel were accused of repeatedly turning their radios off and assaulting a residential assistant in one of the UCSB dorms, per the lawsuits and statements made in court.
They resigned before they could be interviewed and declined to be interviewed through their lawyers, according to statements made in court.
In the assault investigation, Stern was found to have acted inappropriately by giving that same residential assistant a card and communicating with her.
Smith had been accused of time card fraud, having an affair with a subordinate, and inappropriately using department funds.
Smith’s lawsuit filed against the university and UCPD members went to trial last month, where his lawyers argued that he was retaliated against after reporting separate incidents of alleged misconduct by other officers, including Michael Little.
A jury found in late June that the university did not retaliate against him and awarded him no money.
Siegel’s case alleging sexual harassment, discrimination and violation of the California Whistleblower Protection Act was settled out of court in 2024.
The other five officers’ cases were consolidated in Santa Barbara Superior Court.
Their lawyers had asked for millions, arguing their lives were impacted after they were demoted or not promoted after reporting alleged improper government activity by more senior members of the department.
Noelle Cabrera contributed reporting.
