Minority Officers Sue Over Test

[MJS]

http://www.policeone.com/police-job...ority-cops-sue-over-Boston-PD-promotion-exam/

BOSTON — Nine black Boston police supervisors have filed a federal lawsuit in which they claim they were denied advancement because of a discriminatory promotion exam.
The supervisors are suing the city, demanding that it scrap the multiple-choice lieutenant's test. Black and Latino officers historically fare worse on the exams than white and Asian candidates.
Harold Lichten, the lawyer for the officers, tells The Boston Globe that of the department's 51 lieutenants, there are two black men and one Asian man.
Of the department's captains, the next highest rank, only one of 23 is black.
A city lawyer says he had not been served with the lawsuit and could not comment. A police department spokeswoman also refused comment.

Thoughts?

 

[ballen0351]

So the argument is minorities don't test well? Sounds silly to me.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Promote on merit, and actions.

Or go back to scaled quotas so that depending on how racially dumb you are you can qualify at a lower score since holding everyone to the same standard isn't fair.

 

[granfire]

In a different venue the promotions were scrapped because not enough black and latino men scored high enough...thus discriminating against the white and asian folks.

maybe they just need to stop racial profiling?

 

[MJS]

So the argument is minorities don't test well? Sounds silly to me.

Yeah, sounds silly to me too. Actually, more like sad and pathetic.

Promote on merit, and actions.

Or go back to scaled quotas so that depending on how racially dumb you are you can qualify at a lower score since holding everyone to the same standard isn't fair.

Exactly!! Promote on merit, not skin color. Sorry but when you're in a position like that, especially a supervisory position, then you damn well better have some smarts. You can't pass a mult. choice test.....yet you're faced with multiple choices everyday you go on the street.

In a different venue the promotions were scrapped because not enough black and latino men scored high enough...thus discriminating against the white and asian folks.

maybe they just need to stop racial profiling?

If we're thinking about the same thing, it was the New Haven, Ct FD. A 'reverse discrimination' suit was filed, and they won.

 

[seasoned]

It is still a knowledge based test, with a bit of thought process involving picking the best possible answer out of others that could be right. A bit of common sense always helps with these tests also. I'm a bit sick of the dumbing down that takes place across a wide spectrum of society. But, where law enforcement is concerned, we need the best of the best. You either pass it or you don't, live with it........................

 

[David43515]

Is the exam the only criteria for advancement? What about interviews or reviewing past performance? They could save themselves alot of headaches by just creating a pool of acceptable candiadtes through interview and then putting the names in a lottery for the next available position. It would suck, but at least it would be random. And it would still be better than just basing advancement on seniority.

 

[MJS]

Is the exam the only criteria for advancement? What about interviews or reviewing past performance? They could save themselves alot of headaches by just creating a pool of acceptable candiadtes through interview and then putting the names in a lottery for the next available position. It would suck, but at least it would be random. And it would still be better than just basing advancement on seniority.

To be honest, I really dont know the answer to that question. I'd imagine there is a test as well as interviews, but I'm not sure. OTOH, I'm sure someone would find some reason to say the interview wasn't fair....that the questions asked were too hard...LOL.

 

[ballen0351]

Is the exam the only criteria for advancement? What about interviews or reviewing past performance? They could save themselves alot of headaches by just creating a pool of acceptable candiadtes through interview and then putting the names in a lottery for the next available position. It would suck, but at least it would be random. And it would still be better than just basing advancement on seniority.

Most places do have a multi-stepped process for promotions. usually a written test, oral interview with members made of of the rank being tested for (normally they use officers from other departments in the state), review of training and education(bonus points for degrees things like that), Performance reviews with bouns points for extra duties like SWAT, or training officers, ect, all thats mixed together and you get a score. Then they say we need 10 for this rank so then the top 10 scores are picked. At least thats how most place I know do it.

 

[seasoned]

To be honest, I really dont know the answer to that question. I'd imagine there is a test as well as interviews, but I'm not sure. OTOH, I'm sure someone would find some reason to say the interview wasn't fair....that the questions asked were too hard...LOL.

Exactly my thought on this also. The objective is to pass by bypassing the standard testing process, because it is too hard, and somehow bias.

 

[MJS]

Exactly my thought on this also. The objective is to pass by bypassing the standard testing process, because it is too hard, and somehow bias.

So this begs the next question...how did these same people pass the test to become officers? Were the questions too hard? I'd imagine that for a promotional exam, you're really going to be grilled on your decision making ability, even moreso than a regular officer.