The U.S. Department of Justice feels that exams for potential Baltimore County police officers that test skills such as “observation and memory; reading, by describing a Maryland law and asking questions about it; grammar and capitalization; and logic....” discriminate against non-white applicants (“U.S. Department of Justice sues Baltimore County over alleged racial discrimination in police department hiring,” Aug. 27).
What’s next on the seemingly endless list of discriminatory practices and questions — addition and subtraction skills? Or, dare I suggest, multiplication and division skills? Why would we not want a police force comprised of officers that have demonstrated, at the very least, basic intelligence and reasoning skills? What is next to be scrutinized for racial discrimination — state licensing exams for doctors, architects, dentists, accountants and engineers?
Those applicants who cannot pass the police test need to pursue another line of work regardless of their race. If Baltimore County cannot successfully defend itself against such absurd allegations, the county executive and his legal staff involved in this issue need to resign.
Matt Parry, Lutherville
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