responsibilities. Mr. Troutman hopes to use more personnel department staff to do recruitment for the police division in the future.36 He believes that one of the problems the city has had with police recruitment is the "lack of credibility" the police division has in the minority community.37 At least some citizens agree with him on that point, saying that the police division has an image problem which hinders recruitment in the minority community.3 38

Members of the Midwest Guardians believe most recruitment in the black community has been done by the black officers. They said no one is designated to do recruitment and alleged that recruitment is done at the universities when the classes are not in session.39 I.C. Plaza and Joe Ramirez maintained that there were no recruitment programs directed at Hispanics and that recruitment in the Hispanic community was done by Hispanic officers on their own initiative.40 Mr. Troutman said that in 1981 recruitment contacts were made with the Chicano Awareness Center, Amigos de See and G.I. Forum, all Hispanic organizations. In addition there was an information booth at the Cinco de Mayo celebration.41 Rita Garcia, director of the Indian-Chicano

Health Center, said she thought a good job of advertising had been done for the September 1981 class. Ms. Garcia also said that she had tried to interest some Hispanics in taking the written examination but had not been

successful.42

The department did not meet the goals of the consent decree in its December 1980 recruit class. The class of 15 began with six black recruits but one was dropped for academic reasons as was a white male, and a second black recruit resigned, leaving the class only 33.3 percent black, instead of the 40 percent mandated by the consent decree.

43

The department also experienced difficulty in meeting its target for the second class following the decree. Initially, the World-Herald reported, 550 persons, 124 of whom were black, began the testing process. But by June 1981

only 53 applicants were left, 10 black (18.9 percent).44 In an effort to improve on this, the police division ordered all its officers to carry and disseminate application forms. The World-Herald reported that Lt. Pitmon Foxall, the department's ranking black officer was assigned to head the special effort that would make "each and every Omaha police officer" a recruiter of blacks.45 By August 1981, the World-Herald reported that the department had assembled a class of 33, of whom 12 were black (one fewer black recruit than needed to meet the goal of 40 percent and eight fewer recruits of all races in the class than desired to meet department personnel needs).46

At the time of appointment, Sept. 1, 1981, the class had become 47 34 persons, of whom 14 were black (41 percent of the class).4 The city reported three other black applicants were offered appointments but declined 48 to accept them.

Selection devices for applicants to become police officers consist of a written examination, physical agility test, polygraph examination, oral interviews, medical examination and psychological profile.49

The written examination was mentioned by the city personnel director as being a problem because it is multiple choice which does not give an accurate assessment of recruits' reading and writing abilities. In commenting on the draft, Mr. Troutman said that applicants are not required to do any actual writing but grammar and spelling skills are tested. 50 Mr. Troutman has ordered some of his staff to work with training personnel from the police division to develop another test. The new test should be ready for the September 1982 recruit class.51

The Omaha police division provided data to the Advisory Committee on selection and hiring for classes begun Dec. 16, 1977; Aug. 7, 1978; Dec. 1, 1978; Sept. 1, 1981 and Dec. 16, 1981. In the class of Dec. 16, 1977, 3.2 percent of white male, 1.6 percent of white female and 2.5 percent of black

male applicants were ultimately hired. For the class appointed Aug. 7, 1978, 5.9 percent of white male and 10.9 percent of white female applicants were appointed (no black applicants were appointed). For the class appointed Dec. 1, 1978, 3.2 percent of white male and 3.6 percent of white female applicants were appointed (no black applicants were appointed). For the class of Dec. 16, 1981, 0.8 percent of white male, no white female, 2.2 percent of black male and 1.2 percent of black female applicants were appointed. For the class of Sept. 1, 1981, 1.6 percent of white male, 1.7 percent of white female, 4.8 percent of black male and 3.5 percent of black female applicants were appointed. 52

There are marked disparities in the success rate on the examinations. In examinations for the recruit class of 1977, 81.1 percent of white male applicants were placed on the eligibility list, while only 69.4 percent of white female, 67.5 percent of black male and 45.5 percent of black female applicants were placed on the list. For the 1978 classes the pass rate for white male applicants on the written exams was 52.7 percent compared to 65.5 percent for white female, 11.1 percent for black male and 30.8 percent for black female applicants. The pass rate on the physical test was 43.6 percent for white male applicants compared to 32.7 percent for white female, 6.7 percent for black male and 15.4 percent for black female applicants. The pass rate on the interview was 32.5 percent for white male applicants compared to 20.0 percent for white female, 4.4 percent for black male and 7.7 percent for black female applicants. Of the applicants who reached the eligibility list for 1978, 32.5 percent of the white male applicants did so, compared to 20.0 percent of white female, 4.4 percent of black male and 7.7 percent of black female applicants.

The pass rate on the written and physical examinations for white applicants for the 1980-1981 classes was 42.8 percent, compared to 23.6

percent for white female, 20.5 percent for black male and 17.7 percent for black female applicants. The pass rate on the interview was 24.3 percent for white male applicants compared to 18.7 percent for white female, 17.4 percent for black male and 15.5 percent for black female applicants. The pass rate on the polygraph examination (not all applicants reported) was 2.8 percent for white male applicants compared to 2.2 percent of white female, 9.2 percent of black male and 5.9 percent of black female applicants. The rates on the 53 remaining sections of the examination were essentially similar. In view of the subsequent concern expressed about the polygraph portion of the test, it is interesting to note that 11.1 percent of white male, no white female, 44.7 percent of black male and 50.0 percent of black female applicants who took the polygraph test failed. 54 The minority failure rate was 10 times that of the interview phase which preceded it.55 The physical agility test 56 has been validated for job relatedness, Mr. Troutman stated. It was never mentioned in any interview as a source of contention. Similarly the medical examination and psychological profile were not mentioned.

Omaha is unique among the cities surveyed by the World-Herald in rejecting candidates based on a polygraph examination. Five other area police units contacted by the newspaper--the Nebraska State Patrol; the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department; the Des Moines Police Department; and, the Lincoln Police Department use the polygraph but none would reject an applicant on the basis of the results. Indeed one applicant who failed the test, the grandson and son of Omaha officers, subsequently passed similar tests and became an officer in another jurisdiction. Usually, the polygraph is used in conjunction with a background investigation but Omaha does not do a background check because it believes the checks are too expensive.57 In commenting on the draft, Mr. Troutman said the city did a modified background investigation which was described as a check on criminal and traffic records.58 The

polygraph examination is controversial. Some community leaders interviewed 59 see it as a means of rejecting otherwise qualified minority applicants. A State parole officer, who was rejected for a police job because of the test, filed suit in Federal District Court in August 1981 alleging the test discriminates against blacks. He alleged that 68 percent of recent black applicants were disqualified on the basis of the polygraph test, while 32 percent of white candidates were similarly disqualified.60 The case is still pending.61 But Deputy City Attorney James Fellows asserted that while only one person was rejected in recent tests for lying, many were rejected for truthfully reporting criminal pasts which would disqualify them.62 The police denied the test was discriminatory.63 In October 1981, an effort by Fred Conley, the only black member of the city council, to eliminate by ordinance the polygraph test was rejected. But the mayor did order changes in the procedure including transfer of administration of the test to the city. personnel department, creation of a panel including a minority person to develop questions and an agreement to review the effect of the changes. He also said the city council could decide to abandon the test if it continues to 64

have an adverse effect. The Mayor told the Advisory Committee that he is not sure yet if it will be retained as a screening device. He commented that he believes it can serve some purpose if it is properly administered and the test questions are relevant. He said an expert not connected with the police 65 force had been brought in to do the latest round of testing. City Councilmember Fred Conley said "the jury is still out" on the polygraph which 66 he contends is inappropriate as a screening device.

A letter from the city to the U.S. Department of Justice regarding

compliance with the consent decree explains that substantial changes have been

made in the administration of the polygraph. The letter, dated January 19, 1982, states: