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Recommendations

Chapter 3

Recruitment, Hiring, and Personnel Practices

Finding 1

MPD does not have a racial, ethnic, and gender diversity composition through all ranks and components that is reflective of the community it serves.

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Recommendation 1.1

FPC and MPD should create a Diversity and Inclusion Program aligned at a sufficiently high level in MPD to allow direct access to the chief, and be charged with and provided resources for improving diversity within the Department.

Recommendation 1.2

FPC, in conjunction with MPD, should expand its current examination of barriers to recruitment to include hiring and promotional practices.

Recommendation 1.2

FPC, in conjunction with MPD, should expand its current examination of barriers to recruitment to include hiring and promotional practices.

Current:

  • The FPC’s Research and Recruiting staff continuously stays abreast of current research in diversity recruiting and employment barriers (see this 2016 report from the US DOJ for a useful overview of relevant research).

  • The FPC's recruiter maintains communication with candidates at each stage of the testing process to help encourage participation and has recently implemented a texting app into the communications process that has proved to be very popular among applicants.

  • The FPC incorporated the use of a Mobile Application to allow candidates to apply on smart phones in addition to laptops etc. Candidates were encouraged to apply on provided laptops at open-houses, job fairs, and outreach events.

  • After finding a low correlation between GPA and job-relevant test performance, the FPC studied the issue and identified the minimum required GPA as a barrier to diverse qualified applicants and removed the requirement from the FPC rules.

  • Drug disqualifiers were modified.

  • FPC modified preference points that were identified as having disparate impact to diversity within the top ranked candidates of eligible lists.

  • The FPC enacted ride-share programs for testing.

  • The FPC has provided practice tests and sessions for interested candidates.

  • The FPC has added a cultural proficiency component to the Police Officer examination.

  • The Request for Proposals (RFP) for the FPC’s psychological testing vendor called for the recipient to utilize components of the 21st century policing framework, especially in regards to looking for positive traits instead of simply disqualifying for negative traits.The RFP has also required cultural proficiency training for the contract recipient.

 

 

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Date:
Apr. 30  2:57:29 PM
Comment:

Civil service hiring processes should be adopted for all MPD employees, including police officers, not only for support staff. This both professionalizes the process and creates greater possibilities for inclusion.

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