FORMER SIMI POLICE OFFICER TESTIFIES IN SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRIAL.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

A former Simi Valley police officer testified Tuesday about sexual harassment and discrimination she claims to have endured from fellow officers.

Debbra Accardi doesn't want her job back. The Moorpark resident said she filed a civil suit against the city and many of her former colleagues to send a message.

``I would say the majority of the officers were good officers and I don't want to see them hurt financially, but someone has to tell them that what they did wasn't right,'' a tearful Accardi said in Ventura Superior Court.

Accardi, now a Woodland Hills legal assistant, contends she was retired against her wishes on a medical disability after nearly 11 years with the department.

The lawsuit, filed in March 1992, claims male officers in the department made it clear they did not like working with female officers and that led to repeated harassment. By not stopping the harassment, Accardi contends department superiors encouraged and sanctioned it.

Police officials have said the department did not discriminate or harass Accardi and that female officers were treated no differently than male employees.

In her lawsuit, Accardi contends that male officers spread untrue rumors about her abilities, singled her out for unfavorable assignments, and doubled her workload. The lawsuit also states that officers made fun of her, stuffed her shotgun barrel with paper so it would explode if fired, and spread rumors that she had slept with superior officers to receive good assignments.

On Tuesday, Accardi testified about discriminatory treatment that resulted in ``lost confidence in myself and my abilities to do a job.''

Accardi said she was the only detective within the department not assigned to work the opening of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in 1991.

``There was even a non-sworn officer included in this group,'' Accardi recalled.

Accardi said she was the only detective not assigned to investigate a memorable 1990 murder. Accardi also said her supervisor only included Accardi in the investigation of a 1991 murder to the extent of attending an initial briefing.

``I very distinctly remembered my comments were pooh-poohed,'' she recalled. ``He named everyone in that room for an assignment except me.''

Accardi worked for the department from November 1980 through March 1991, when she was retired on the medical disability resulting from a recurring knee injury. Her last assignment was as the court liaison officer.

Referring to her income tax returns, Accardi said she earned $42,800 during her last full year of employment with the city of Simi Valley, in 1990. Accardi said she now earns $26,400 a year as a legal assistant, in addition to $1,788 in monthly retirement benefits.