Discrimination complaint under investigation

In response to the recent discrimination complaint filed by the Yale Police Department's four African-American sergeants, the University's department of human resources will meet with the officers on Mon., Nov. 24 to discuss the results of an initial investigation into the police department's promotion practices.

FILE PHOTO While minorities make up 27 percent of Yale's police force, four sergeants complain that there are no minority detectives or lieutenants.

The department of human resources is currently reviewing the complaint filed by sergeants Charles Barbour, Lewis Ferguson, Kenneth Hollie, and Dale Snyder. According to Office of Public Affairs representative Cynthia Atwood, the complaint charges that racial discrimination played a role in the recent promotion of two white sergeants to the rank of lieutenant. Barbour said last week that "the police department should promote as many blacks as they do whites." Sergeants Hollie, Snyder, and Ferguson were not available for comment.

Katherine Matzkin, director of University placement and staff relations, reported that a two-person committee has completed the initial investigation. "We will meet with [the officers] in two weeks--that's when we're all available," Matzkin said.

Also in attendance at that meeting will be Roger Vann, president of the Greater New Haven NAACP. Vann said that the NAACP is conducting its own investigation.

"This is not an issue of sympathy," Vann said. "We take all discrimination complaints very seriously. We haven't made a value judgment [in this case]. We're concerned about charges of discrimination." He remarked that the New Haven NAACP has been involved in discrimination cases previously with African-American police officers.

Vann met with University Secretary Linda Lorimer, LAW '77, at the end of last week to discuss the case. According to Vann, Lorimer assured him that the University was looking into the allegations and was proud of their record of hiring African-Americans.

Yale Police Department brass defended the department's hiring practices. Captain Barbara Morton, the department's highest ranking minority and female member, said that Police Chief Allan Guyet has made significant efforts to increase minority representation on the force.

"When Chief Guyet came in 1990, his agenda was proactive towards females and minorities," she said. Morton points out that when Guyet arrived, the department had just two female officers. Since then, the Chief has increased both the number of women as well as the number of minority officers. Currently, nearly 27 percent of the force are of minority background and over 10 percent are women.

In the last hiring, five of the eight officers hired were minorities, including four black males and one black female.

None of the department's lieutenants or detectives, however, are minorities. Morton and the four sergeants are the only black supervisors in the entire department.

While increased minority representation is needed, Morton emphasized the importance of merit in employment choices. "I would like to see a variety of people matriculate in supervisor capacities," she said. "[But] you have to be qualified for this job. It involves life-and-death situations and an understanding of constitutional law."

Morton, a member of the Yale Police Department for the past 21 years, worked her way through the ranks. "Yes, I've been discriminated against. I've had people unhappy that I'm black and female, but I choose not to let anyone tell me what I intend to do with my life. I'm happy with the hiring practices [here]," she said.

Morton stressed that the department pays great attention to cases of discrimination. "The Chief is aware of the discrimination complaint," she said. "These issues get taken very seriously here, and we respect the right for someone to disagree." Few officers, however, will comment on the complaint. One lieutenant remarked, "this is between them and the Chief."

Guyet's official statement on the matter is that "the allegation is unfounded." Lorimer also defended the department's practices. "The fact that 24 percent of sworn officers are men or women of color is a good track record relative to other police departments around the state," she said. "We have established grievance procedures and anyone in any department is encouraged to use them if they have not gotten their due."

"People usually see law enforcement in a negative light," Morton said. "Police just get more pressed because we're visible. We're not perfect--when you look at police, look at society. Out of this, something good will happen, because we're communicating."

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