Maryland State Police, Discrimination in Hiring, Maryland 2022

Equal employment opportunities in law enforcement are not just a core civil right but essential to ensuring that those who serve reflect the rich racial and gender diversity of the communities they are sworn to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division.

The Maryland State Police, a defendant in a federal lawsuit, has agreed to pay $2.75 million to settle allegations that its hiring process discriminates against Black and female candidates. The settlement was reached after a civil pattern and practice investigation by the Civil Rights Division, which was opened on July 15, 2022.

The investigation found that the Maryland State Police’s use of a written test called the Police Officer Selection Test (POST) disproportionately excludes Black candidates, and its use of a physical fitness test called the Functional Fitness Assessment Test (FFAT) disproportionately excludes female candidates, from employment as troopers.

Under the terms of the settlement, the Maryland State Police will adopt written and physical fitness tests that do not discriminate in violation of Title VII; provide data to the United States on the administration of the new tests to ensure compliance; pay $2.75 million in back pay to applicants who were disqualified by the Maryland State Police’s use of the challenged tests; and hire up to 25 applicants who were unfairly disqualified by those tests and who successfully complete the Maryland State Police’s new trooper screening and selection process.

The settlement also includes provisions requiring the Maryland State Police to provide restitution and relief to those already harmed, ensuring that all qualified applicants have a fair chance to serve. The agreement must still be approved by a federal judge.

“Law enforcement agencies have a responsibility to protect all citizens equally. We are pleased that the Maryland State Police is committed to ensuring that its hiring processes will not discriminate on the basis of race or gender,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland.

The Maryland State Police, a legal entity, is the respondent in this case. The exact criminal charges are violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The city and state are Baltimore, Maryland. The exact date is July 15, 2022. The outcome is a settlement agreement.

The Maryland State Police, a defendant, must still be approved by a federal judge. The agreement requires the Maryland State Police to institute meaningful reforms, remove unlawful barriers in its hiring process, and provide restitution and relief to those already harmed, ensuring that all qualified applicants have a fair chance to serve.

The settlement includes a provision to hire up to 25 applicants who were unfairly disqualified by the challenged tests and who successfully complete the Maryland State Police’s new trooper screening and selection process. The dollar amount is $2.75 million.

The United States alleges that the Maryland State Police’s use of the POST and the FFAT are not job related or consistent with business necessity, and thus, violate Title VII. Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, color, national origin, and religion.

“Equal employment opportunities in law enforcement are not just a core civil right but essential to ensuring that those who serve reflect the rich racial and gender diversity of the communities they are sworn to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division.

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