Maryland Police Hiring practices under investigation by Justice Department

The U.S. Department of Justice is currently investigating Maryland Department of State Police to determine whether they have engaged in discriminatory hiring and promotions.

The investigation will be conducted pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits any discrimination in employment on the basis of color, race, sex, religion, and national origin, a July 15 press release by the DOJ said. Title VII states that the DOJ is authorized to conduct investigations into local or state employers when there are grounds to suspect discriminatory practices.

The DOJ investigates a number of allegations of racial discrimination made by black officers to white troopers.

Last Year, Joanne Benson (D.Md.) was the state senator. According to Benson, black troopers complained about underrepresentation and disparities in promotion. More than 20 Black officers filed documents detailing their complaints.

Clark F. Ahlers is an attorney who represents black officers in numerous lawsuits and welcomed the DOJ inquiry. He accused the Maryland police of engaging in discrimination against “troopers of color,” according to Fox News.

Ahlers has cited four cases, all related to the MDSP’s discrimination in the past five years. None of these cases were related to promotion or hiring practices.

Superintendent Woodrow Jones stated in a statement that “significant actions” were taken to resolve the problem and will continue to do so, WYPR, a public media provider, said.

” I have created new initiatives and procedures, established new communication channels, and hired subject-matter experts all to ensure that the Department is aware of these issues. Jones said.

The Epoch Times reached out to Maryland’s police department.

Discrimination Investigation

Assistant attorney general Kristen Clarke from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated that discrimination is “outside of any work environment,” particularly in law enforcement agencies. She said that all communities should have fair and equal law enforcement agencies.

” Our investigation will identify if the Maryland Department of State Police created racially-discriminatory barriers for Black people looking for job opportunities or promotions, and, if yes, the reforms that are necessary to guarantee equal employment opportunities,” Clarke stated.

In the past, several investigations were conducted by the Civil Rights Division into Title VII violations.

The matter is currently being investigated jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland as well as the Employment Litigation Section of DOJ’s Civil Rights Division.

State Police Chief Col. Woodrow W. Jones III, and Republican Governor. Larry Hogan and State Police Superintendent Col. Woodrow W. Jones III were informed about the investigation. Both men assured their full cooperation. According to the release, neither Larry Hogan nor the DOJ have reached any conclusions regarding these allegations.

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