County Changes Police Promotions Exam as Federal Review Looms
New interview process aims to make the Baltimore County police more responsible, accountable for selecting its leaders.
Baltimore County Police Chief Jim Johnson threw out a more than three-decades old promotions policy just days before a class of sergeants was to take standardized oral interviews to become lieutenants. The change comes amid a looming U.S. Department of Justice inquiry into the county's hiring and promotions practices within the police and fire departments. The change involves who interviews prospective candidates for promotion. Until now, interviews had been conducted by outside law enforcement personnel. Now, those interviews will be conducted by officials who work for Baltimore County. "I have not determined the motivation of the administration as to why this change was instituted," said Cole Weston, president of the Fraternal Order of …
I mean it
12:17 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
Why would anyone allow an unvalidated process to continue? ...Unvalidated processes continue all the time; it's the reason we have Equal Protection lawsuits at all. A large part of the problem is with the panel of in-house people, and just because "the government's doing it" does not make it legal. If the new process requires that one white female, two black males, one white male, and Adrienne … more ›