Maybe not the best place to put this article but I figured some would find this interesting. Tom Iron, being a fellow New Jersey guy I'm sure you have heard this.
[h=1]NAACP to N.J. State Police: End bias in hiring or we'll sue[/h] [h=5]Published: Sunday, September 02, 2012, 8:00 AM[/h]
By
Christopher Baxter/Statehouse Bureau
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View full sizeJohn O'Boyle/The Star-LedgerNew Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa speaks about State Police recruiting at the State Police facility in Sea Girt in August.
TRENTON — The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is threatening to sue the State Police unless it overhauls its background checks for prospective recruits, The Star-Ledger has learned.
Charging that black candidates are being rejected in disproportionate numbers, the group has also asked the state attorney general that current and former members of the force be barred from conducting the checks, according to an NAACP lawyer familiar with the case.
The lawyer, who was not authorized to discuss the case and requested anonymity, said the demand was made on behalf of a black candidate who applied for a slot in the most recent State Police class that graduated in January but was eliminated during the checks.
The lawyer declined to identify the candidate, but said the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in June authorized him to sue for racial discrimination. The NAACP and the state are negotiating to try to head off a suit, the lawyer said.
The State Police and Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa declined to comment on the case. But Chiesa said in a statement he was committed to building a force that more closely resembles the state population, which is 14.6 percent black.
"The NAACP has a seat at the table as we continue to review and revise ways to attract the most qualified candidates of all backgrounds to be part of the State Police," Chiesa said.
The State Police is not the only law enforcement organization struggling to diversify its ranks. But for a division trying to move past its checkered history of racial profiling
and discrimination lawsuits, attracting and retaining more black troopers is crucial.
Update on New Jersey State Police recruiting Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa and State Police Superintendent Colonel Rick Fuentes discuss efforts to encourage diversity in State Police applicants. Watch video
In 2000, the NAACP and State Police signed a consent decree requiring greater minority recruitment. Since then, the percentage of black troopers has decreased from 8 percent to 6 percent, while the percentage of Hispanics and females has increased.
The path to becoming a trooper includes several steps, including an initial application and screening, physical fitness test, written exam and a background investigation.
Candidates can be disqualified for such things as drug convictions or suspended driver’s licenses. They can also be rejected after a subjective review of lesser transgressions, including arrests without convictions, a bad credit history or unpaid parking tickets.
Once complete, the background investigations are reviewed by several supervisors on the force to avoid bias, the Attorney General’s Office said.
The extensive investigations, according to the State Police, are intended to determine "moral character" and whether a candidate has demonstrated "derogatory conduct" — anything to ferret out a flawed candidate.
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But the NAACP lawyer said statistics for the past several classes support the contention that the checks unfairly eliminate black candidates.
Of the 33 black candidates for the most recent class who passed the written exam, six dropped out and 22 were disqualified for failing the check, state figures show. Five were selected for the academy, but only two graduated.
The Attorney General’s Office said it had already taken steps to improve the background checks. The office said disqualifying areas were clarified, and candidates underwent pre-screenings to identify problems early. In addition, it said those performing the checks were getting more training.
Last month, Chiesa and State Police Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes announced that the latest pool of applicants for two new classes next year was the most diverse in the force’s history. But James Harris, president of the state chapter of the NAACP, said he will not be satisfied until more black troopers are on the force.
View full sizeJethro James in a Star-Ledger file photo
"We’re dealing with a system that’s broken and leadership that refuses to fix it," Harris said. "It’s about protecting people who want things to stay the same."
But Bishop Jethro James, pastor of Paradise Baptist Church in Newark, who has been working with the force, was more optimistic. He said balancing high standards with the unique life circumstances of black candidates was not impossible.
"We’re dealing with humans in human situations, and in some cases there needs to be a discussion before someone is automatically thrown out," James said.
In one case, he said, an applicant was allowed to continue after it was determined his license had been suspended while he was serving in Afghanistan. The man’s brother had driven his car but had not paid a parking ticket, James said.