DOJ Says Baltimore Co. Discriminates In Hiring Cops: Reports

TOWSON, MD — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sued Baltimore County on Tuesday over alleged discrimination in the hiring of police officers, according to media reports. In the federal lawsuit, the DOJ's Civil Rights Division accuses the county of using a written exam to screen out African-Americans applicants seeking entry-level positions in the Police Department, say media reports.

The DOJ says African American applicants failed the test at a higher rate than whites, leading to fewer blacks being hired as police officers, the Baltimore Sun reported. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore.

According to the DOJ, the written exam tested reading, grammar, logic and other skills that are unrelated to the duties of a police officer or police cadet, the Sun reported.

In a statement Tuesday, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said the Police Department has stopped using the exam. The county denies that it is liable for the actions of past administrations, he said, but is willing to negotiate with DOJ to resolve the matter.

"A law enforcement agency should look like the community it serves," Olszewski said, adding that he and Police Chief Melissa Hyatt are committed to increasing diversity in the Police Department.

He noted that his administration has created two positions focused on increasing diversity — one within the Police Department and the other within the county government workforce.

The DOJ lawsuit, according to the Sun, did not include the pass rates of the written exam, only stating that the difference between African American and white applicants is “statistically significant.”

The exam has taken different forms over the years, the suit says, but it did not include a copy of the latest version or examples of questions on the exam, according to the Sun.