A certain Missouri police officer won't be locking up his gayness anytime soon.

Keith Wildhaber of St. Louis County was awarded nearly $20 million on Monday after a judge ruled that he'd faced discrimination because of his sexual orientation, The New York Times reports. Wildhaber, a sergeant with more than 20 years of experience on the force, told the court he was once encouraged to "tone down his gayness" at work by a county police board member in 2014. The board member in question, who has since resigned, reportedly denied making that remark.

After filing an initial discrimination complaint at his workplace, Wildhaber was then transferred to another precinct, a choice he insisted was a form of retaliation.

The debacle formed the genesis for his lawsuit, filed in January 2017. The 47-year-old sergeant was also denied a promotion 23 times over the course of five and a half years despite stellar performance reviews. However, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar testified in court that Wildhaber's upward trajectory in the force was prevented by issues unrelated to his sexual orientation.

On Twitter, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page released a statement promising major changes to the county's police board, which oversees the department and the police chief.

"The time for leadership changes has come," Page wrote, "and change must start at the top."

In a statement provided to The Times, a spokesperson for the St. Louis County Police Union said the organization was "extremely embarrassed" by how Wildhaber was treated.

"We look forward to the healing process that can begin to take place now that this has been heard in open court," the group added.