PROMOTION “IRREGULARITIES”

The Baltimore Police Department is again answering questions about exam questions members were asked on a promotional test. Recent oral examination results for the Baltimore City Police Department's sergeant and lieutenant promotional tests were tossed out because of "irregularities." After consulting with the city's Office of the Inspector General, the results of the oral exam are being thrown out with new exams being scheduled.

Baltimore City Police did not reveal what the "irregularities" were.

This isn't the first time the Baltimore City Police Department has faced this sort of issue. In the past, there have been allegations of improprieties in the exam process such as allegations of sex for answers schemes and other questionable practices to influence outcomes.

My Attempts at Promotion in Baltimore

My initial goal was to become a three-year sergeant. Officers were eligible to take the Sergeants Exam once three years of service were completed. Occasionally, an officer would be promoted on their first try. Except that the promotional process was tied up in the courts until I had been with the department for 4 ½ years … due to something called “affirmative action.”

It was known that the department had recently been ordered by the court to promote a number of minority officers to sergeant based in part upon racial preference. The goal was to bring the numbered ratio of minority officers/supervisors more equal to the city’s minority population figures.

Nonetheless, I was excited to take the sergeant’s examination which was divided into three areas; a written exam of 125 questions which was about half the final score, a performance appraisal on previous work ethic (about 5%) and an oral interview rounding out the remainder toward final scoring and placement on the promotional list.

I did well on the written exam (96%) and maxed out on the performance appraisal, receiving the highest possible score. Now it was on to the oral interview. I reported to the rented motel conference facility where my oral interview was to be held in suit and tie, a little nervous, but more than ready for questioning. This was far more structured and less confrontational than courtroom testimony, so I felt confident that I was prepared. Plus I had a track history of successful private sector employment interviews.

The interview board was comprised of three individuals holding the rank of sergeant or above from outside agencies. Each interviewer would ask 3 questions (one at a time) and I would be given up to 5 minutes to respond to each question. No follow-up questions could be asked by either party and I could only ask them to repeat their question, if necessary.

No problem, as I was prepared for all of the questions that they asked. One potential problem, though. I had been assured of a diverse and fair board panel. Here’s what I got: an all-minority interview board.

My score? Not even a whole number! I still was ranked 73rd out of over 1,100 taking the promotional exam. It was not high enough for promotion during the promotional lists life span of about one year due to fewer openings since the filling of so many sergeants’ positions previously under court order by those given affirmative action priority-based promotions.

In the meantime, affirmative action initiatives continued on.

By 1986, two years later, I was ready to try for sergeant once again. Now the city had a newer idea to attempt to improve the test scores of minority applicants for the promotional exam.

STUDY GUIDES

I was given a large fill-in-the-blank study guide that made me research or verify answers in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Baltimore Police General Order (policy & procedures) Manual, Traffic Law, Baltimore Park Rules and Wiretapping Laws. Minority officers were given sanctioned study guides with the answers already filled in.

Once again, I did perfectly on the performance appraisal and was exceedingly well-prepared for the written exam. My oral interview board was balanced and the interview went well. I was ranked 52nd out of over 900 applicants for the 1987 promotional list, which again was not thought to be high enough for promotion.

By midsummer 1987 I felt as though my career was going to be permanently stymied and that upward mobility in my career would be unobtainable on my own merits so I tendered my resignation from Baltimore City. Perhaps I should have waited. In fact, if I had stayed through Christmas of 1987 I would have unexpectedly been promoted to sergeant as they promoted up to number 57.

In the words of Ronald Reagan, I will attempt to be “verbose but delicate.” Is this current re-taking of interviews yet another attempt to put chosen persons in charge, further politicizing the agency?

Joel E. Gordon is a former Field Training Officer with the Baltimore City Police Department and is a past Chief of Police for the city of Kingwood, West Virginia. He has also served as vice-chair of a multi-jurisdictional regional narcotics task force. An award winning journalist, he is author of the book Still Seeking Justice: One Officer's Story and founded the Facebook group Police Authors Seeking Justice. Look him up at stillseekingjustice.com