CHULA VISTA -- Chula Vista and its police department are facing a federal lawsuit stemming from an incident in which a man claims he was roughed up by a police officer in front of his children, it was reported Monday.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday, claims the city and its department engaged in police brutality, negligent hiring practices, police officer training deficiencies and false arrest, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

The plaintiff, Justin Ladou, 35, said he was mistreated by Chula Vista police Office Curtis Chancellor while the officer was responding to a noise complaint during a Fourth of July pool party at a condominium complex last year, the newspaper reported.

Ladou said he mistook Chancellor for a private security guard, while Chancellor said Ladou was swearing in front of his children and kept trying to turn his back to the officer, according to the Union-Tribune.

The incident ended with Ladou unconscious from a carotid restraint, the Union-Tribune reported. Charges against Ladou were dropped after a judge found following a preliminary hearing that there was insufficient evidence to warrant a trial.

The lawsuit claims the city was negligent in hiring Chancellor because he allegedly had a history of stalking. A former girlfriend requested a restraining order against Chancellor in 2003 but later withdrew her request, according to the Union-Tribune.

In an earlier claim filed with the city, Ladou sought $5 million in damages. The city rejected the claim, which was required before Ladou could file a lawsuit against the city.