The Chicago Police Department is seriously considering scrapping the police entrance exam, sources tell Fran Spielman.
Dropping the exam would bolster minority hiring and avert legal battles, according to one source, while others confirm that the exam could be scrapped to open the process to as many people as possible.
Chicago appears to be weighing two competing legal concerns: employment lawsuits now, or lawsuits later over the problems (e.g., police brutality) that result from handing out badges and guns to unqualified applicants of any color.
The silver lining for City Hall: It’s a lot easier to find a legitimate occupation for Mayor Daley’s nephew if there’s no entrance exam to rank candidates objectively.
