Tuesday, February 05, 2008

White Firefighters Sue IFD Over Promotions Policy

At least 20 Indianapolis firefighters are claiming in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Indianapolis that the Indianapolis Fire Department's promotion policy discriminated against them. The Star's Jon Murray explains:

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis, is based on the department's last round of promotions in 2006 for the lieutenant and captain ranks. It says white firefighters were passed over for less-qualified black firefighters who were ranked lower on a promotions list. Four black firefighters unfairly received promotions to lieutenant, the suit says, and one was promoted to captain.

You may recall a similar lawsuit brought by the U.S. government last year against the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Attorney Jeff McQuary says the IFP policy is identical to IMPD's policy even though the Justice Department chose not to pursue a separate lawsuit against IFD. "The two promotion systems are established by city ordinance, and they are identical," McQuary said. McQuary is representing some of the IMPD officers in the other lawsuit. He is also co-counsel with me in a racial discrimination suit brought on behalf of two former forensic pathologists for the Marion County Coroner's office against Dr. Kenneth Ackles and Chief Deputy Coroner Alfarena Ballew.

You can read the text of the lawsuit and learn who all the plaintiffs are by clicking here.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Racial discrimination occurs during EVERY hiring process done by I.F.D. White candidates, especially males are passed over on the hiring last in order to make the numbers work in the recruit class. I know of an Afr. American who finished outside of the top 100 in the process but made the 35 person cut. It has been going on for years, but if you try to stop it, you are labeled as a racist. I, as a white male, had to finish 4th out of 3500 to guarantee myself a spot.

Anonymous said...

It sure is taking a long time to get rid of the fire chief responsibile for a 6 figure settlement on a sex discrimination suit......

Anonymous said...

This will be a tough one for Ballard. I'm betting he gets this one right, tho.

Did you see Tully's fawning Ballard piece in the paper this morning? It was disgusting journalism. Again, written by the seat of his pants, with z-e-r-o research or thought.

And it shows his incredible lack of perspective. He gives Scott Newman credit for avoiding a big public dust-up with Frank Anderson over IMPD control. But Tully must've missed the last election: Ballard won, and his party controls the council. Game, set match, Matt....Newman didn't do a damned thing.

Ed Ziegner wept.

Anonymous said...

Scott Newman is not only unqualified for the PS Position, he is an unethical politician because of his ownership of a lab that does business with the Public Safety Agencies? Let me see...The Prosecutor Carl Brizzi owns a bar that sells alcohol to people who drive home after drinking and then Carl Brizzi prosecutes them for drunk driving? I will not waste my time or effort commenting on Greg Ballard! This man is a real LOSER!

Anonymous said...

The firefighters law suit would have never happened if Chief Greeson had the Ba!!s to stand up to Vern Brown and Monroe Gray. They both should have been named in the law suit along with Geeson.

Anonymous said...

Greeson. Barf. I was at the CCC meeting where someone pointed out how many years of service he had. Blah, blah, blah. When he called Melyssa what he did, he will get NO respect from me. That mouth of his tells me just what he thinks of women and should have been reprimanded.

He said it, he knows he said, so why not be the MAN that he is and pay the consequenses. Just like a common criminal.

Anonymous said...

Is this the real complaint that was filed? Can the author count? Its Hancock, not Hankcock.

And a majority of these Indy firefighters live outside of Marion County? They're not even tax-paying citizens??? Wow, they should be at the lowest rank and never promoted if they're too good to at least live here.