IMPD Leadership Ranks Lack Equal Opportunity for Black Crippled Lesbians

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Promotional Process Criteria:

1. Written Test Score of at least 70%

2. Oral Interview Score of at least 70%

3. College Education and/or Military Experience – Bonus points

4. Field Training Officers – Bonus points

5. Good Conduct Records/Awards – Bonus points

6. Longevity (Time on the job) – Bonus points

7. Female, Black, or both - Disregard requirements 1 through 6 and move to the top of the promotion list!!!

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Although the above list of requirements is a poor attempt at sarcasm, they aren’t far from the truth.

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 86 has expressed some concern over Public Safety Director Frank Straub and Mayor Ballard’s recent attempt to consider some unusual promotions. (Click on the previous link to view the FOP 10/6/11 Letter to Members)

Mayor Ballard and Director Straub announced their intention to promote 12-15 IMPD members to various ranks of Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain. All of these promotions were to be based primarily on race and gender, in an effort to satisfy a group of IMPD minority officers that brought legal suit against the City of Indianapolis for “discriminatory promotional processes.” To be honest, I’m not even sure what a “discriminatory promotional process” looks like. Are minorities being forced to read books and materials with language that only whites understand, are minorities being asked questions that whites aren’t being asked, are minorities not allowed to enter the process? What is the specific issue these minority officers on IMPD were so upset about? Finally, how can there be any honor and sense of achievement when something isn’t earned?

For whatever reason, during a Merit Board hearing the evening of 10/11/11, Director Straub withdrew his efforts to force white officers off the current/expired promotion list and force minority officers in their place. Frank Straub continued to state his displeasure at the current racial make-up of IMPD, including the “lack of” minorities in supervisory positions. I addressed this very issue on thePoliPit.com on 3/28/2011 in an article titled, “Michael Jackson: It Doesn’t Matter if You’re Black or White.” I’ll ask the same question I asked back in March, “Why is it so important to have a racial make-up in certain professions that “reflects the community’s racial and minority make-up?” To force arbitrary goals, like a mandated percentage of blacks, Hispanics, women, or any other special group, results in the insanity of affirmative action, and serves no logical or productive purpose.

The only thing affirmative action affirms is that the least qualified candidate is given a position that he or she has not earned by merit. And it also perpetuates poor morale within an organization that views a certain group of people as not having earned their position; regardless of whether or not they did. Affirmative action has caused more racial tension within our nation, and specifically IMPD, than the KKK could have done. The foolish and illogical policy of promoting police supervisors because they have a certain skin color or no genitals seems about as logical as giving someone a gun, badge, handcuffs and arrest powers because they look like they might be a good officer.

Director Straub and Mayor Ballard should lead by example while they promote “gender and race equality” within our city government. Straub should immediately resign his position as Public Safety Director and Mayor Ballard should give Straub’s position to a female or person of color. Actually….I seem to remember when Mayor Ballard was first elected he had the task of hiring a Public Safety Director, and there were a number of qualified applicants, including a person of color – Darryl Pierce. However, Mayor Ballard thought the white man, I mean, the white applicant, Frank Straub, was more qualified than a well-respected police veteran like Darryl Pierce, who happens to be black. Mayor Ballard obviously believes it is perfectly okay to hire a person based on their qualifications, but the IMPD promotional process should NOT do the same.

I could care less if IMPD did nothing but hire green men…and women… for the next 4 years if those little green people were the most qualified applicants available. Affirmative action policies are just one more wonderful product of an “open mind” that has no room for the truth. Whom does affirmative action say is the most qualified police applicant….a black lesbian in a wheelchair. Those who would agree with the previous statement might also vote for a U.S. President based solely on skin color.