Two Austin Police Department officers were suspended Monday over allegations of discrimination over other officer’s sexual orientation.

Believing that two members of the top brass tarnished the department's reputation, APD Chief Art Acevedo Monday relieved two of his commanders of duty...one temporarily...the other for good.

The case, which started at the APD Training Academy sounds like a scenario that could be used to teach new cadets there on what not to do on the force.

"We hold our commanders to the highest standards, which were not met in this case,” Assistant Police Chief David Carter said.

Last September, a female police officer was requesting reassignment to a post at the academy, when the facility's new commander, Calvin Smith, allegedly asked the previous commander, Larry Oliver "what kind of message" it would send for the woman to join two other women already working there.

Oliver said Smith's comments about the three women were due to "their being Lesbians," according to police department memos. Yet, in defiance of department policy, Oliver allegedly didn't report the inappropriate remark. Further violating procedures, investigators say he told a subordinate what had been said, and the whole thing eventually got back to the woman in question, who filed a formal complaint.

"This is in fact a sad day for us,” Carter said.

Starting Tuesday, Commander Smith will be suspended without pay for 20 days. Oliver was offered a 30-day suspension for failing to report the utterance and then telling officers of lesser rank what had been said. But Oliver refused the month's worth of discipline, and so his 24-year career with the department was terminated Monday by the chief.

Both men have ten days to appeal their punishments. CBS 42 tried repeatedly to get a hold of their attorney, but we never heard back from him

As for the woman who filed the complaint, for other reasons, she was not granted her transfer to the academy, but she remains with the department.

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