Redlands to pay $475,000 to settle forensic specialist's harassment and cover-up lawsuit

REDLANDS, Calif. – The Redlands City Council approved a $475,000 settlement Tuesday resolving a lawsuit by a police forensic specialist who alleged sexual harassment, retaliation and a cover-up involving former Deputy Chief Michael Reiss.

The council approved the settlement in closed session Tuesday, resolving a September 2023 lawsuit brought by Geneva Holzer against the city in San Bernardino County Superior Court. Under the terms, the city will pay Holzer $475,000 with no admission of liability, and Holzer will release all claims against the city, resign her position and dismiss her lawsuit with prejudice. The mayor was authorized to sign the agreement on the city's behalf. The motion, made by Councilmember Paul Barich and seconded by Councilmember Denise Davis, passed unanimously, with Mayor Pro Tem Marc Shaw absent.

With this settlement, the city has now paid about $4.25 million to resolve lawsuits alleging sexual harassment, retaliation and misconduct involving former Deputy Chief Michael Reiss and the Redlands Police Department.

The settlement is the latest in a series of payouts tied to allegations involving Reiss. In April 2025, the city paid former Deputy Chief Travis Martinez $872,000 to settle a whistleblower retaliation claim related to his efforts to investigate Reiss.

Holzer alleges she discovered a chair that tested positive for semen and that supervisors later ordered it destroyed. According to the complaint, the destruction concealed evidence that could have prompted earlier scrutiny of misconduct within the department.

Holzer's suit named the city as defendant and raised five claims under state law, including gender discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation, a whistleblower-protection violation under California Labor Code section 1102.5 and failure to prevent discrimination and harassment.

In response to questions Wednesday, the city referred Community Forward Redlands to the closed-session report and said it had no additional comment.

A copy of the settlement agreement will be available at the city clerk's office once fully executed.

Allegations in the lawsuit

Holzer was hired as a forensic specialist in August 2018. According to the complaint, she later came to believe the hostility she experienced was tied to what she described as a culture of sexual favoritism within the department.

The central allegation involves a chair Holzer says she found in a restricted evidence area in December 2019. A trained forensic specialist, she says she recognized apparent stains on the chair and tested them, and that the chair tested positive for semen. According to the complaint, when she reported the finding to her supervisor, Sgt. Kyle Alexander, he instructed her to destroy the chair, preserve only a cut sample, keep her report vague and route it outside the normal evidence and reporting systems. Holzer alleges those instructions were intended to prevent the discovery from becoming known within the department.

The complaint alleges that Alexander and Commander Stephen Crane reported the finding to Reiss rather than through their normal chain of command. Holzer further alleges that Reiss had a sexual relationship with the employee whose workstation the chair came from and that he ordered the chair destroyed after learning of the discovery.

The employee was later identified as former Community Service Officer Julie Alvarado-Salcido, who reached a $1.2 million settlement with the city in 2025 over allegations involving Reiss.

Allegations of harassment by Reiss

After the coworker associated with the chair resigned in late 2019, Holzer alleges Reiss began directing attention toward her. Her complaint describes unsolicited Instagram messages, a topless photograph, repeated invitations to social outings, frequent visits to her basement office and an incident in which she alleges Reiss referred to her as a "fucking Unicorn" in front of colleagues.

Holzer, who is married, alleges she interpreted the conduct as sexual in nature and viewed it as an effort to cultivate a personal relationship.

According to Holzer's complaint, Reiss remained in a leadership position for more than three years after she reported the chair incident and was not placed on administrative leave until Jan. 30, 2023.

Investigation and fallout

According to the complaint, the matter resurfaced in January 2023 when Sgt. Patrick Leivas asked Holzer about the chair. Holzer alleges Leivas relayed the information to then-Deputy Chief Travis Martinez, which ultimately led to an outside investigation. Reiss was placed on administrative leave Jan. 30, 2023, and retired in March 2023. Holzer further alleges that after the investigation began, she faced retaliation from colleagues who blamed her for the fallout.

Holzer filed a government claim with the city in March 2023, which the city rejected in April 2023. She filed suit that September.

A series of related claims against the department

Holzer's case is one of several stemming from the same alleged culture inside the Redlands Police Department:

• In July 2023, the city agreed to pay $1.7 million to settle a lawsuit by former Officer Laurel Falconieri and Detective Leslie Martinez alleging "pervasive sexual favoritism." Falconieri received $1.15 million and Martinez $550,000.
• In April 2025, the city reached an $872,000 settlement with former Deputy Chief Travis Martinez, who alleged whistleblower retaliation tied to his efforts to investigate Reiss.
• In July 2025, the city agreed to pay $1.2 million to former Community Service Officer Julie Alvarado-Salcido, who alleged that Reiss used his authority to coerce her into sexual acts.

The full settlement agreement will be available for public review at the city clerk's office once executed.