A retired Los Angeles County Fire Department assistant chief has sued the county, alleging he was repeatedly passed over for promotions because department leaders prioritized women and people of color over more qualified white male candidates.

Frank Forman, who retired in 2025 and later moved to Montana, alleges in a Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit that he was denied advancement despite decades of experience, two master's degrees and a paramedic license. He is seeking unspecified damages for alleged discrimination and failure to prevent discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

Forman joined the department in 1991 and was promoted to assistant chief in 2021. He claims the department's promotional practices changed after Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone allegedly told senior staff during a March 2023 meeting that the department intended to promote more women and people of color.

According to the lawsuit, Marrone looked at Forman and said, "Some will be happy and others who are more qualified will not be happy."

Forman alleges the comment signaled that promotions would be based on diversity goals rather than qualifications.

In a sworn declaration, Forman also claims Marrone repeatedly referred to himself as "the DEI fire chief" during meetings attended by assistant and deputy chiefs.

Forman applied for a deputy fire chief position and received a first-round interview in June 2023 but was not invited back for a second interview. When promotions were announced later that year, he alleges most of the successful candidates were not white men despite, he says, his stronger qualifications.

He also claims the department repeatedly assigned some candidates to temporary "acting" deputy chief roles, giving them added experience and interview advantages, while he was never offered the opportunity.

Forman says being passed over for promotion caused him emotional distress, including sleep disruption, flashbacks, anxiety and anger. He says he sought counseling before retiring and relocating to Montana, where he hoped to "find calming and centering."

The county has asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit. In court filings, county attorneys argue Marrone never said promotions would be limited to people of color or that candidates would receive preferential treatment based on race.

They contend that, even accepting Forman's account of the meeting, encouraging diversity in promotions does not amount to unlawful discrimination.