DOJ Drops Discrimination Cases on Police, Firefighter Hiring

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has decided to drop several cases aimed at compelling police and fire departments to cease what were claimed to be discriminatory hiring practices. This decision marks another step in the Trump administration’s efforts to withdraw government support from initiatives aimed at enhancing diversity. A Justice Department official confirmed that the administration is withdrawing from four cases, including one involving the Maryland State Police, where a settlement agreement had been reached over claims of discriminatory hiring practices against Black and female applicants.

The shift is part of a larger campaign by President Donald Trump’s administration to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, which, according to Republicans, challenge merit-based hiring. “American communities deserve firefighters and police officers chosen for their skill and dedication to public safety, rather than for meeting DEI quotas,” stated the attorney general in an emailed statement.

The Maryland case had previously led the Biden administration to negotiate an agreement with state police. This agreement aimed to modify candidate testing procedures after alleged bias in written and physical tests was identified. The previous administration found these tests to disproportionately exclude Black and female candidates, asserting that such practices violated federal employment discrimination laws.

Chad Mizelle, Bondi’s chief of staff, argued on social media that the Biden administration’s efforts were punitive to departments using “race-neutral hiring tools” despite there being “no evidence” of deliberate discrimination by the departments. There was no immediate response from Maryland State Police regarding these statements.

Other similar cases involve fire or police departments located in North Carolina, Georgia, and Indiana. On his first day in office, Trump issued an order commanding federal agencies to end any “equity-related” grants or contracts. He followed this with another order requiring federal contractors to affirm that they do not support DEI initiatives.