Focus on Diversity: Boston Police Department = F
Mayor Menino has long touted his commitment to diversity in the City of Boston. Recently, when criticized by organizations such as MAMLEO and others, including the Blackstonian, the Mayor said the City of Boston is diverse and he challenged anyone to prove him wrong. Commissioner Davis has stated that the BPD is diverse and that they have done all they could do to ensure its diversity. The Baystate Banner, particularly, Publisher/Editor Melvin Miller defended Mayor Menino and suggested that his critics have no data to support the claims of a lack of diversity.
The Blackstonian accepted that challenge.
Here is the proof that Mayor Menino and BPD Commissioner Ed Davis are wrong and that the City of Boston is not diverse in its governance.
Check out a few stories from the Banner re: BPD diversity
MAMLEO gives Menino no confidence vote
http://www.baystatebanner.com/local15-2009-10-22
Mayor faulted for lack of diversity in top cops
http://www.baystatebanner.com/local11-2009-09-10
Here is our report download it and print
(Made for 11×17 page size)
Mayor Menino, BPD Commissioner Ed Davis and Melvin Miller are wrong and/or lying and we got the proof.
Read it and weep.
Good Morning Jamal
I read your article on the City of Boston’s diversity progress. I am glad you showed that the Menino Administration have not taken agressive steps to ensure that the City’s workforce reflect the diversity of our city’s population. Now should be a lot easier for all of us to read through the misleading statements and look at how the City enforces these policies. The City of Boston does not adequately enforce the Boston Jobs Residency Policy. Thus, the protests in Dudley Square and now at Jackson Square in Roxbury and from what I understand, many more protests are being plan to be held throughout the City.
What would make us believe that if the City of Boston does not enforce it’s own diversity policy for the City’s workers to ensure that diversity is met. The City has shown no interest in holding companies that do business with the City, accountable to complying with the City’s policy of diversity!
What is clear, is that the City of Boston will continue to collect our tax dollars and will allow itself and those doiing business with the City not to meet the diversity goals which fosters “Boston Jobs for Boston residents!” The City of Boston will continue to do business with companies that have demonstrated they do not plan to comply with its 32 year old policy of inclusion.
I want to salute Blackstonian and the Leadership Forum for bringing these matters before the public so we will know who needs to be held accountable!
Very Good,
Thank You for these pointed responses refuting the city level diversity claims from the Mayor, which we All know are untrue.
This report will be useful in empowering the disenfranchised to leverage the vote to shape the government so it represents Boston truthfully.
Change does not happen overnight, and the fact that the proportions within the ranks are closing in on those in the wider population is good progress in my book, and now we simply need to push BPD to completely close the gap. I think you’ll level an even stronger criticism by focusing an infographic on the LEADERSHIP of the BPD. (Does this exist?) As MAMLEO explained to the Banner (below), this is where BPD displays a disgraceful absence of color. Just for fun, your infographic can also include “Number of times, in 16 years, MAMLEO requested a meeting with Mayor Menino: 22 (or whatever the number). // Number of times Menino met with MAMLEO: 0”
— BEGIN QUOTE —
Of 43 lieutenants on the force, there are just four African Americans, two Latinos and one Asian, according to BPD statistics.
There has never been a black or Latino superintendent-in-chief or commissioner. While cities across the state have been headed by black and Latino officers — including Cambridge and Lawrence — Boston has never broken that barrier.
After taking over as president of MAMLEO in January, Ellison wrote Menino a letter requesting a meeting, but has not yet received a response. Ellison said he was not surprised, though.
“Menino has never met with a MAMLEO president in the 16 years he’s been mayor,” Ellison said. “He chooses to meet with the ministers, but never with MAMLEO.”
— END QUOTE —
This is why I believe they refuse to overturn the age restriction policy for becoming a police officer in this city. Wen so many other cities with better diversity have done away with the age restriction
Where’s the graphic for diversity among the Blackstonian.com staff?
Wait a minute, are our taxes being used to issue guns, cars, handcuffs, jails, etc. to the Blackstonian.com staff to protect us from acts of violence now? Then by all means, somebody hurry up and send in a FOIA request–I want to see a graphic for diversity among Blackstonian.com staff, too-ASAP!
(On a more serious note, esp. in light of increased awareness about police brutality right now, it would be educational to see updated stats under Walsh’s administration so far.)