NCJ Number
54485
Journal
Police Magazine Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (MARCH 1979) Pages: 15-19
Date Published
1979
Length
5 pages
Annotation
EVENTS SURROUNDING A POLICE PROMOTIONAL EXAM CHEATING SCANDAL THAT EVENTUALLY TOPPLED ATLANTA'S FIRST BLACK PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSIONER ARE RECOUNTED.
Abstract
THE BLACK PRESIDENT OF THE FLEDGLING ATLANTA (GA.) CHAPTER OF THE POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION BECAME SUSPICIOUS WHEN HIS NAME FAILED TO APPEAR ON THE PROMOTIONAL LIST AFTER HE WAS CERTAIN HE HAD PASSED THE EXAM. HE BECAME EVEN MORE SUSPICIOUS WHEN HE SAW THAT, ALTHOUGH ONLY 91 OF THE 289 CANDIDATES WHO TOOK THE SERGEANT'S TEST WERE BLACKS, 21 OF THE 28 OFFICERS PROMOTED WERE BLACKS. OF THE BLACKS PROMOTED, 13 WERE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE AFRO-AMERICAN PATROLMEN'S LEAGUE (AAPL). OF THE 42 CANDIATES TAKING THE CAPTAIN'S TEST, 16 WERE BLACKS. YET 7 OF THE 9 OFFICERS PROMOTED WERE BLACKS. THE OFFICER CONDUCTED AN INFORMAL INVESTIGATION ON HIS OWN TIME AND FOUND SEVERAL BLACK OFFICERS WHO KNEW OF A CHEATING CONSPIRACY. ONE OFFICER, WHO HAD HELPED DESIGN THE PROMOTIONAL TESTS, SAID THE PRESIDENT OF THE AAPL CHAPTER HAD TOLD HIM TO GIVE THE TEST QUESTIONS TO OFFICERS ON A LIST THAT HAD BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE AAPL AND APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER. ANOTHER OFFICER SAID HE WAS AMONG THOSE WHO HAD BEEN GIVEN PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE TEST QUESTIONS. A SERGEANT SAID HE HAD BECOME AWARE OF THE CHEATING SITUATION, HAD CONFRONTED THE COMMISSIONER WITH IT, AND HAD BEEN ACCUSED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF ATTEMPTING BLACKMAIL. THE OFFICERS TOOK THEIR STORY TO THE MAYOR'S CHIEF OF STAFF. WHEN NO ACTION WAS FORTHCOMING, THEY FILED AFFIDAVITS APPENDED TO A REVERSE DISCRIMINATION CASE BEING BROUGHT BY A WHITE OFFICER, AND THE SCANDAL BROKE. AN INVESTIGATION WAS LAUNCHED, DURING WHICH THE COMMISSIONER, HAVING BEEN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO TAMPER WITH A LIE DETECTOR TEST, REFUSED TO TAKE A SECOND TEST. THE MAYOR THEN ASKED FOR THE COMMISSIONER'S RESIGNATION. THE SCANDAL CAUSED A FUROR THAT DIVIDED ATLANTA'S BLACK COMMUNITY. SOME FELT THAT THE COMMISSIONER HAD BEEN THE VICTIM OF A PLOT ENGINEERED BY ATLANTA'S POWER STRUCTURE. THIRTEEN OFFICERS INVOLVED IN THE SCANDAL WERE SUSPENDED, SIX WERE DEMOTED, AND FIVE WERE FIRED (INCLUDED TWO WHO HAD REVEALED THE CHEATING). THE FORMER COMMISSIONER HAS BEEN ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE IN FULTON COUNTY, WHICH INCLUDES MOST OF ATLANTA. (LKM)