Melisse Leitzke joined the Vallejo Fire Department in 2000, eventually becoming one of only three women to reach the rank of Fire Captain in the city's history. Her career trajectory shifted in 2022 after she formally complained that the Fire Chief was discriminating against her based on gender. Leitzke alleged that the city responded by placing her on prolonged administrative leave and engineering a demotion based on an unsubstantiated misconduct claim from a fire scene.
Vallejo Settles Retaliation Lawsuit with Fire Captain for $5 Million
A Solano County jury found the City of Vallejo unlawfully retaliated against Fire Captain Melisse Leitzke after she reported gender discrimination within the fire department. The verdict arrived July 31, 2026, prompting a $5 million settlement that halted the case just before it could proceed to the scheduled damages phase.
The litigation, heard by Judge Wendy G. Getty in Solano County Superior Court, highlighted the department's failure to address internal grievances. Shelley A. Molineaux, counsel for Leitzke, noted that the verdict vindicates her client's long-standing claims. The settlement effectively ends the legal dispute, sparing both parties from the secondary phase of the trial and potentially signaling a shift in how public employers handle internal discrimination complaints.
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