MASS SETTLES OVER ALLEGEDLY DISCRIMINATORY PROMOTION PRACTICES

By Bob Walsh

Massachusetts State Court Rules That A Multiple-Choice Promotional Test Discriminated Against Minority Police Officers

 

Assuming everything is approved up the line about 600 P D officers in various jurisdictions who were maybe allegedly affected by discriminatory practices in the sergeants exam may split up about $40 million dollars.  The split won't be even but, generally speaking they are talking about $60,000 per.for "emotional distress."

There is no doubt the test resulted in lower scores overall for Black and Latino applicants than for White applicants.

The Mass. Association of Minority Law Enforcement  has asserted that, "This victory shows that police promotion exams have been a barrier to leadership and advancement for BIPOC individuals.  The victors in today's decision have historically and systematically been denied access to opportunity, to hiring, to promotion, to command staff status and to the pathways of possibility that have been readily available to other groups."  

Even candidates whose department out come did NOT show any disparity in outcome will get $5,000 each.  Unless they are White, in which case they get something between jack and shit.

The case is formally known as Tatum et al V. Commonwealth of Mass.  It will very likely be completely settled early next month.