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Police ask community to help recruit black officers

City is racing against September deadline in bid to make forces more diverse.

Dayton police Chief Richard Biehl (from right) and community leaders Keith Lander, James Brooks, William Gillispie, John Moore and Ken Briggs attend a meeting Wednesday, June 2, regarding strategies for hiring minority police and fire personnel. Staff photo by Jan Underwood

Jan Underwood Dayton police Chief Richard Biehl (from right) and community leaders Keith Lander, James Brooks, William Gillispie, John Moore and Ken Briggs attend a meeting Wednesday, June 2, regarding strategies for hiring minority police and fire personnel. Staff photo by Jan Underwood

ENLARGE PHOTO

Diversity issues haunt police recruiting program

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By Lucas Sullivan, Staff Writer Updated 12:03 AM Friday, June 4, 2010

DAYTON — Police Chief Richard Biehl told local black leaders this week it is vital for them to help make his department racially diverse.

The recruiting summit at City Hall on Wednesday, June 2, was one of many discussions to be had this year as the city tries to meet the terms of its lawsuit settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and make the police and fire departments more diverse.

“The success of a diverse recruiting effort really depends heavily on community participation and dedication toward this effort,” Biehl said.

Biehl needs help from members of the NAACP, Dayton Urban League and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to find more black applicants because he has about three months, $25,000 and two full-time officers to do so before the Sept. 13 application deadline.

The DOJ will monitor the city’s hiring process from start to finish. If an insufficient number of minorities take the civil service test – or fail it – in November, the city could have to start the application process over as 40 police officers start retiring.

“That’s a very real possibility,” said City Commissioner Dean Lovelace. “That’s why we are holding these meetings and asking people to get involved.”

Biehl and his recruiting coordinator, Sgt. Rhonda Williams, believe the lifting of the residency rule and the number of unemployed people living in the area will lead to a larger pool of diverse applicants.

A revamped civil service test will also be graded on a curve, a break from the former 70 percent passing mark.

Williams said she can use The Job Center, e-mail databases from local colleges and community groups and past relationships to combat her small budget, limited time frame and lack of manpower.

“We’re going to do the best we can with the resources we have,” she said. “Right now our main focus is to get people to sign up.”

Contact this reporter at  (937) 225-2494 or  lsullivan@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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