DOJ Drops Cases on Biased Police, Firefighter Hiring

The Justice Department has decided to drop cases that aimed to compel police and fire departments to cease what the Biden administration had accused of being discriminatory hiring practices. This was announced by Attorney General Pam Bondi, marking another step by the Trump administration to withdraw governmental support for diversity enhancement efforts.

According to a Justice Department official, four cases will no longer be pursued. Among these is a case that culminated in a settlement agreement to resolve allegations of discriminatory hiring practices affecting Black and female applicants for the Maryland State Police. This shift is part of a larger initiative by President Donald Trump’s administration, which has aimed to dismantle programs and efforts promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Republicans have argued that these efforts undermine hiring based on merit.

“American communities deserve firefighters and police officers to be selected for their skill and dedication to public safety – not to fulfill DEI quotas,” Bondi remarked in a statement shared via email. In relation to the Maryland case, the Biden administration had announced an agreement with state police to revise the testing methods for applicants. This came after accusations that a written examination discriminated against Black candidates and a physical fitness assessment was unfair to female applicants.

The Biden administration determined that these tests disproportionately disqualified Black and female applicants, thereby violating federal laws that prohibit employment discrimination based on factors such as race, sex, color, national origin, and religion. Chad Mizelle, Bondi’s chief of staff, stated on social media that the Biden administration had targeted police and fire departments for utilizing “race-neutral hiring tools,” despite the absence of evidence pointing towards intentional discrimination.

The Maryland State Police have not yet provided comments on this development. Further cases involved police or fire departments in North Carolina, Georgia, and Indiana, as mentioned by Mizelle. In alignment with this approach, Trump issued an executive order on his first official day in office mandating federal entities to abolish any “equity-related” grants or contracts. He subsequently signed another order requiring federal contractors to ensure that they do not promote DEI initiatives.