PC Chicago Police Department May Scrap Entrance Exam

[Play The Man]

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local...-80790827.html

The Chicago Police Department is seriously considering scrapping the police entrance exam, sources tell Fran Spielman.

Dropping the exam would bolster minority hiring and avert legal battles, according to one source, while others confirm that the exam could be scrapped to open the process to as many people as possible.

However, the lack of an exam would make Chicago the lone major city without one, and experts contend that the exam is integral to eliminating unqualified applicants.

The CPD has tried in recent years to boost minority hiring by offering the police exam online and turning to minority clergy to help in the recruitment effort.

But those efforts have met with frustration. Despite seeing an increase in the number of minority applicants in 2006, the last year the exam was offered, the online component was never launched.

And as of last year, one in four patrol officers were African-American, but just one in 12 Lieutenants were of color.

Officials at City Hall have admitted that they have been exploring exam options since last fall, according to the Sun-Times.

The CPD is currently operating at 2,000 officers-a-day short of its authorized strength. Police hired only 46 officers this year, with plans to hire less than 100 next year -- and those hirings rely on federal funds.

What's more, City Hall has floated the idea of imposing cop furloughs to meet a tight budget.

Boy, that will do a lot to maintain standards! How about the candidates pick up a book and study for the test?

Originally Posted by Play The Man

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local...-80790827.html



Boy, that will do a lot to maintain standards! How about the candidates pick up a book and study for the test?

Racist.

[Play The Man]

Originally Posted by Chuck

Racist.

Don't forget "sexist" and "homophobic"

WOW . well this kinda of thinking is expected in Chicago .

Lets see , they are to lazy to study for the test , they are not smart enough to pass the test on thier own , so lets just do away with it ........ Logical thinking at its best right there fellas.


Maybe they should just put out a flyer " Bring your sack lunch and any play badge you can find , soda pop and beer caps will be allowed as badges . You will be issued a gun and car when you arrive ."

Chicago " Dumbass capitol of the world"

[Play The Man]

Police officers have to have a good understanding of the law. They have to compose reports. They have to testify in court. They have to solve crimes. How can you determine someone's intellectual capacity unless you test them?

[MattHughesRocks]

There's got to be a catch to that story.No way they just hand out badges and guns

[J.B.]

I think scraping the exam is obviously ridiculous but I can understand the city's desire to hire more minority officers.

Chicago is a rough city, and a lot of neighborhoods are heavily divided by color. Most of the bad neighborhoods and the projects are filled with minorities and most of the people in those neighborhoods are not friendly with the cops to begin with. So, sending in a majority of white cops does help fuel racial tension to a degree in those areas. Having more minority cops makes them seem more approachable to those people.

If that sounds racist, it's because it is. However, it's not me who designed the system or made things the way they are. It's just a fact of life.

Originally Posted by J.B.

I think scraping the exam is obviously ridiculous but I can understand the city's desire to hire more minority officers.

Chicago is a rough city, and a lot of neighborhoods are heavily divided by color. Most of the bad neighborhoods and the projects are filled with minorities and most of the people in those neighborhoods are not friendly with the cops to begin with. So, sending in a majority of white cops does help fuel racial tension to a degree in those areas. Having more minority cops makes them seem more approachable to those people.

If that sounds racist, it's because it is. However, it's not me who designed the system or made things the way they are. It's just a fact of life.

Agreed.

But... you would expect those officers, minority or not, to be qualified and hired based on merit not skin color correct?

[J.B.]

Originally Posted by Chuck

Agreed.

But... you would expect those officers, minority or not, to be qualified and hired based on merit not skin color correct?

Of course I would.

I would never say a less qualified minority should be hired over a more qualified white person, or any person. It should be all about the best person for the job, as with any job. That is why I said I think getting rid of the entrance exam would be ridiculous. All I was referring to was the notion of hiring more minority officers in Chicago, and why it is a good thing, but I still believe those people need to be equally qualified for the job.

My Mom and Dad still live in the Chicagoland area, but are planning on retiring here in VA. Everytime I go to visit them, when the local evening news airs, there is always a story of some kind of corruption in the police force. I'm sure that THIS will help ease the city of their troubles with crooked cops.