Originally Posted by Nightstalker

Felix Browne, a spokesman for the state administration, said the test “was revised to more accurately reflect the essential functions of a police officer’s job,” and that the braces are meant to “simulate the types of fences officers are likely to encounter while on duty.”

Originally Posted by Nightstalker

Chief Gemme said several of the women who failed in the last recruit class were Hispanic, and spoke Spanish.

“Anytime you can have your department reflect the diversity of the community, that’s a positive thing,” he said.

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Any members of the Uterus Club feel like chiming in here?

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Any members of the Uterus Club feel like chiming in here?

Originally Posted by Nightstalker

Toppling the wall to recruit women

Police obstacle course changed

By Milton J. Valencia TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF



Police recruits taking a state-required physical abilities test will see a change in the obstacle course, a move to address concerns that aspects of the test discriminated against women.

The change was made last week, after a review of results over several years showed women failed at a significantly higher rate than men.

Specifically, the change centers on a five-foot wall in the obstacle course, one of several components in the physical abilities test. Previously, the wall had been a straight surface, but it now features two braces, making it easier to scale.

Felix Browne, a spokesman for the state administration, said the test “was revised to more accurately reflect the essential functions of a police officer’s job,” and that the braces are meant to “simulate the types of fences officers are likely to encounter while on duty.”

Concerns with the test mainly focused on the dimensions of the wall, with many complaining its flat surface was an unrealistic setting, though a fence would be more appropriate because it allows for foot leverage.

The concerns of bias were based on the need for upper body strength to scale the flat wall, which many saw as an advantage for men because of their physical makeup. Without the ability to gain footing, recruits relied solely on upper body strength.

Women across the state have scaled the wall and passed the test. But even some of them have said it requires more energy from women because of the differences in upper body strength, and leaves them with less stamina to finish the obstacle course. In many cases, women completed the course, but seconds beyond the deadline, and so failed.

The six women in a Worcester police recruit class who took the test in March failed, even after two attempts. In Boston, 11 of 23 women who took it around that time failed after two attempts.

The statistics mirrored results among police departments statewide. From July 2005 through February, 71 of the 110 female candidates failed the test, or 64 percent. In comparison, 92.5 percent of the 510 men who took the test during that time passed.

In 2004, 104 of the 172 women who took the test failed, or 60.5 percent. In 2003, 39 percent of the 121 female cadets failed. In 2002, only 36.4 percent of the 143 cadets failed, and in 2001, 32.1 percent of the 140 cadets failed.

There was no definitive answer why the statistics grew worse over the years. The test had not changed since it was created in 1999. Still, the growing failure rate stirred concern among police departments across the state.

“In the past test, there were some concerns that the wall was potentially restricting a number of good potential candidates,” said Elaine Driscoll, a spokeswoman for Boston police.

Police chiefs in Fall River and New Bedford also sent a joint letter to the state human resources division calling for the test to be examined.

“What we were seeing was 93 percent of all males who took it passed, but when you looked at the number of females who passed, it was clearly a disproportionate number. That in itself should be a red light to look at the testing system,” said Police Chief Gary J. Gemme, who led the calls for a review of the exam.

“It seems to be that the state, in reviewing this whole process, recognized there needed to be some changes.”

The chief worked with state Sen. Edward Augustus Jr., D-Worcester, in lobbying for a review of the exam. Mr. Augustus joined the local legislative delegation in sending a letter to the governor’s office calling for a review, and secured $80,000 in funding.

Mr. Browne, of the governor’s office, said the review of the physical exam is complete, and that the administration will now review the written exam, both of which are state-required under civil service rules.

“If that does do away with the disparity we were seeing previously then I’m satisfied,” Mr. Augustus said. “I didn’t want something disproportionately knocking out otherwise qualified women, who were disqualified from police departments across the state.”

The failure rate results were also hurting efforts by departments to hire more women.

Chief Gemme said several of the women who failed in the last recruit class were Hispanic, and spoke Spanish.

“Anytime you can have your department reflect the diversity of the community, that’s a positive thing,” he said.

The women in the last class passed background checks, psychological exams and other requirements to become police officers, but were disqualified by what amounted to a five-foot-wall with no crevices to gain footing, an obstacle the chief said an officer rarely encounters in the real world anyway.

Many police officers across the state, including women who passed the wall, opposed any changes to the exam, saying it properly screens qualified candidates for a physically demanding job, and that public safety depended on it. The issue became fodder for police-based Web sites and chat groups. Many argued women shouldn’t receive advantages in the name of diversifying a work force.

But Mr. Augustus and the chief said they were simply looking for “a level playing field.”

Chief Gemme argued that such a significant disparity in statistics of those who failed warranted a review, and that he thought it was inappropriate to judge an officer’s qualifications on one obstacle course.

Mr. Browne, of the governor’s office, said four police departments, including Worcester and Boston, helped test the new exam before it was adopted. And now, communities will start sending recruits to the new test, beginning Monday with the Boston Police Department.

Worcester’s recruit class will take the test beginning Thursday, and there are three women candidates. In the last police academy, Worcester had no women graduates.

Originally Posted by Tackleberry22

Absolute BS. Hold on one second while I pull my magical step ladder out of the air.
Hiring unqualified candidates to fill a quota, is not only a disservice to the department, but to the individual as well. I have no problem with women in LE. However, if a female candidate receives special attention and can not perform the essential job functions; then she is useless to officers that she works with. This is not a matter of bias views or male chauvinism, it is a matter of liability. I'll be honest; I would be extremely pissed off if I got my ass kicked in, because my back up (male or female) was unqualified and working the beat.

Originally Posted by Tackleberry22

Hiring unqualified candidates to fill a quota, is not only a disservice to the department, but to the individual as well. I have no problem with women in LE. However, if a female candidate receives special attention and can not perform the essential job functions; then she is useless to officers that she works with. This is not a matter of bias views or male chauvinism, it is a matter of liability. I'll be honest; I would be extremely pissed off if I got my ass kicked in, because my back up (male or female) was unqualified and working the beat.

Originally Posted by Edmizer1

I'll be the first to disagree with everyone. This job is not about fast cars, big guns, and bulging muscles. Fitness is important but men and women have physical differences. In this case, one part of the overall test was a problem. When I went through the academy in the mid 90s the old "Cooper" standards were used which you had to pass to get in, and had to pass several times while in the academy. We had one guy who was a serious weight lifter and in great overall shape. He was almost dismissed because he couldn't pass the "sit and reach" flexibility test. He was so muscle bound he had problems with the test. Women had almost no problems with this test. They actually had to "reach" farther to pass than men of the same age group. I don't think the guy ever really passed the test but it was overlooked and he was allowed to graduate anyway.

Originally Posted by Edmizer1

I'll be the first to disagree with everyone. This job is not about fast cars, big guns, and bulging muscles. Fitness is important but men and women have physical differences. In this case, one part of the overall test was a problem. When I went through the academy in the mid 90s the old "Cooper" standards were used which you had to pass to get in, and had to pass several times while in the academy. We had one guy who was a serious weight lifter and in great overall shape. He was almost dismissed because he couldn't pass the "sit and reach" flexibility test. He was so muscle bound he had problems with the test. Women had almost no problems with this test. They actually had to "reach" farther to pass than men of the same age group. I don't think the guy ever really passed the test but it was overlooked and he was allowed to graduate anyway.

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Any members of the Uterus Club feel like chiming in here?