Committee on Public Safety
RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A HEARING ON THE HIRING OF BLACK AND HISPANIC CANDIDATES IN THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CHICAGO FIRE
DEPARTMENT
WHEREAS, The makeup ofthe Chicago Police Department ("CPD") and the Chicago Fire Department ("CFD") should reflect the diversity found in the City's population and the communities these departments serve; and
WHEREAS, According to a recent demographic study, Chicago's population is comprised of 29% Black residents, 28.7% Hispanic or Latino residents, and 33.3% White residents; and
WHEREAS, Of the 239 new hires from CPD's last four graduating classes, 45 officers (18.83%) identified as Black, 104 officers (43.51%) identified as White Hispanic, and 67 officers (28.03%) identified as White; and
WHEREAS, Ofthe 388 new hires from CFD's last four graduating classes, 48 firefighters (12.37%) identified as Black, 102 firefighters (26.29%) identified as Hispanic, and 227 firefighters (58.51%) identified as White; and
WHEREAS, The differences between the racial makeup of the last four CPD and CFD graduating classes and the racial makeup of Chicago as a whole demonstrate the need for an effort to decrease the racial disparities in the hiring of Black and Hispanic police officers and firefighters; and
WHEREAS, It is the goal of the City to ensure diversity and inclusion in City hiring and to remove barriers that are detrimental to successfully recruiting as police officers and firefighters individuals from under-represented communities and minority groups; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of Chicago assembled this nineteenth day of February, 2020, do hereby call upon the Committee on Public Safety to hold a hearing on the recruitment and hiring of Black and Hispanic candidates in the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Fire Department; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we request Fire Commissioner Richard Ford II or his designee, Police Interim Supe...
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